Civil Societies Coalition for Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO) has stated that the investigative committee set up by the State Assembly to look into the allegations of financial recklessness leveled against the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede is unacceptable in a democratic dispensation.
In a press release by the group signed by its Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman, it noted that the speaker, Hon Najeem Salam statement that the parliament would be fair and thorough in investigating all the issues raised with a view to reaching a logical end which would give all parties concerned a sense of justice without fear or favour cannot be sincere going by those he selected to be members of the committee.
According to CSCEO, “The composition of the investigative panel does not reflect this assertion as all the seven members are from the ruling APC despite the fact that the assembly consists of representatives of the people from other political parties.
“Where then is the fairness in this composition? We make bold to say that the composition of the panel already betrays their intention to turn the investigation to a party affair without recourse to the position of the opposition. This is unacceptable in a democratic dispensation.
“To further show that the leadership of the Osun House of Assembly lacks the integrity and the will- power to dispassionately and justly investigate the allegations, while fielding questions from journalists at the press conference on why there was no representative of the people from the opposition in the panel, the speaker claimed that the reason is that the two opposition members of the 26 member house of assembly are first timers who lacked legislative experience.
“We believe that he must have forgotten that Hon. Akinola Adufe representing Irewole / Isokan state constituency who he included in the panel is also a first-timer in the house of assembly from the ruling party. This is a display of insincerity and lack of integrity on the part of the Speaker. We therefore urge the good people of Osun state and the opposition party to reject the panel as constituted.
The group lambasted the opposition lawmakers their party, saying the coalition is embarrassed by their silence and docility and for being part of the daylight robbery of their right to represent the people of Osun state whose voices were raised in Justice Oloyede’s petition.
“The main opposition party, PDP, once again will be failing the good people of Osun state if they remain silent on this very crucial issue. We will have no option than to belief that their palms have been greased to buy their silence and complicity with this fraudulent contraption of the leadership of the state house of assembly against the people of Osun state.
“In addition there can be no fairness in any personal interaction between members of the panel and the petitioner whose petition has been in the public domain from day one. As has already been demanded by many Civil Societies and Human Rights Groups in the state any interaction with justice Oloyede in line with the petition should be done in the open. Transparency should not be compromised in this matter of public importance.
“It is our hope that Mr. Speaker will allow common sense to prevail on this matter in which he has already shown that he is biased by virtue of his response to journalists question on the composition of the panel. We will also like to call on other political parties to lend their voices to justice, fairness and equity in this matter”.