Billy Osawaru, the House of Representatives member for Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode federal constituency at the National Assembly, has sacked his senior legislative aide, Anthony Ogbemudia Osazuwa, for allegedly supporting the governorship aspiration of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
OsunDailyNG reports that the termination letter, dated January 25, and signed by the federal lawmaker, was addressed to the chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Abuja.
Osawaru, who is the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, said the termination of the aide’s appointment was a result of some negative, unwarranted, and unacceptable activities and behaviours not expected of the aide.
Stressing that the termination takes immediate effect, the lawmaker urged the chairman
Of the National Assembly Service Commission to retrieve all office and official materials in the aide’s possession.
This termination letter reads thus: “Kindly take this letter as an authority to terminate the appointment of the under-listed aide to my office with immediate effect.
“The termination of his appointment comes as a result of some negative, unwarranted and unacceptable activities and behaviours not expected of my aide, thereby bringing disrepute to my office. He is Hon. Anthony Ogbemudia Osazuwa, Senior Legislative Aide (SLA).
“With this termination letter, I request all the office and official materials in his possession be retrieved and returned to the office.”
On the allegation that the aide was sacked due to his support for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, one of the aspirants for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, the lawmaker noted that the aide reportedly violated his principles.
Ukato Thomas, the media and publicity assistant to the lawmaker, said: “Hon. Tony Osazuwa’s appointment was terminated as a result of actions that have repeatedly violated his (Osawaru’s) principles, which is capable of bringing disrepute to the people’s office, which he holds in trust for them.
“Hon. Tony Osazuwa literally forced his hand by not paying heed to his repeated respectful reprimands.”
Osawaru noted that Ize-Iyamu, a distinguished APC chieftain and gubernatorial aspirant, remains his highly respected leader, and he will never do anything to bring his name to disrepute.
His decision to terminate the appointment of the aide, Osawaru stressed, was never about his support for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, noting that his former aide is a leader in his own right who has made a name for himself politically and is at liberty to support whoever he fancies.
He, however, advised the alleged peddlers of falsehood and twisted narratives to get their facts right and desist from fanning the embers of discord.
OsunDailyNG reported that the sacked aide was the federal lawmaker’s campaign director-general during the March 18, 2023 general election.
He was also a former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS; a former Vice Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area; and a former Chief of Staff to Hon. Patrick Aisowieren, the immediate past member who represented the constituency.
It was gathered that he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the incumbent federal lawmaker three months ago.
