By Gbenga Ariyibi
Three high chiefs have been suspended from office indefinitely by Emure-Ekiti monarch, in Ekiti State, Oba Emmanuel Adebowale Adebayo, for allegedly impersonating the monarch before the state governor, Engr Segun Oni.
The suspended chiefs were alleged to have misrepresented the Elemure -in -Council by seeking audience with the governor and pleading on behalf of a suspended council chief, Mr Sesan Aruaji.
The embattled council boss was suspended for three months in May this year by Governor Oni sequel to the recommendation of the House of Assembly which indicted him for alleged financial crimes, contract scandal and sponsorship of violence in the area.
Vanguard gathered that the three months suspension is expected to lapse soon and Aruaji is said to be scheming to come back to his job.
Oba Adebayo, a retired police commissioner before he ascended the throne of his forefathers, was said to have announced the suspension of the three chiefs during the weekly meeting with his traditional cabinet yesterday.
The affected chiefs are the Aro, the Sasere and the Onisa. The trio were alleged have collected undisclosed large sum s of money from the embattled council boss to plead for him before the governor.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that the monarch has petitioned the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), warning against the return to office by the suspended council chairman.
In the petition with reference ELEMEK20/1/28 and dated September 8, 2010, Oba Adebayo had accused the council boss of serial security breaches and involvement in violence.
The monarch in his petition to the Force Headquarters said Emure and its environs had witnessed peace throughout the three-month period of Aruaji’s suspension, saying “his return to office might spell doom for the people of the council area.”
The petition reads in part: “I want to seek your indulgence therefore for a kind consideration of my request that an urgent action be taken to prevent bloodbath in my domain. Investigations have been carried out by the Police, SSS and Ekiti State House of Assembly whose reports have indicted the Chairman of Emure Local Government.
Now his three-month suspension is about to lapse and shamelessly he wants to force his way back to the local government without remorse and to continue with his nefarious activities. Information has it that he has mobilised thugs to help him regain his lost position.
With all sense of responsibility and commitment to the honour of my position as a traditional ruler of my people, I vouch to state that the community has rejected him as chairman. It will not be proper for me to sit down and watch members of my community carry arms against each other. There is an imminent dangers ahead which can be averted.”
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