Indication emerged on Monday that a truce may soon be reached over the disagreement between the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the warring 19 All progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the state, following a surprise meeting by the feuding parties in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Fayose said the parley was aimed at charting a new course for Ekiti and that the meeting was “in the overall interest of the state, believing that we will be able to find solution to the problems.” He declined to answer further questions. Both parties were not forth coming as journalists pressed for more questions.

The five Lawmakers later went into another round of meeting, following which Wole Olujobi, Omirin’s Special Adviser on media, Wole Olujobi explained that “while the governor emphasised before the lawmakers the offer of their salaries and other entitlements, the lawmakers insisted on  return to the status quo as at November 11, 2014.

“That means restoring all the principal officers to their positions and all aides of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, including those of other principal officers should be restored to their positions.

“The lawmakers made it clear they were ready to return to their jobs and the governor should provide atmosphere for that possibility. They asked the governor to clear the House of Assembly of thugs and create conditions that would make them do their jobs without any security threats. They insisted that restoring the security aides of the principal officers and opening the Assembly for resumption of their legal duties should be the starting point for the restoration of peace.”

He said while the lawmakers made their position clear, the governor was more on payment of the lawmakers’ entitlements, while promising to look at what he could do on return to the status quo, he however warned that it may be difficulty returning to the status quo because the matter was already in court.

“We want to make it clear that the resolution of the crisis in the House of Assembly lies with the governor in acceding to our request,” the statement concluded.

At the meeting, held in the Alagbaka area in Akure, Governor Fayose and the estranged lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Adewale Omirin, were the Director, Department of State Security in the state Police commissioner, John James, the Chief of staff to the governor Dipo Anisulowo, Attorney General and Justice Commissioner Owoseni Ajayi and a newly elected PDP lawmaker, Pastor Oluwawole Kola.

The atmosphere of the meeting was friendly as the governor and the lawmakers exchanged banters after the closed door meeting that lasted five hours.

It would be recalled that efforts by a prominent leader of the state Basorun Afe Babalola to broker peace was botched by the lawmakers who expressed fear that they may be attacked on their way to Ado Ekiti for the meeting.

The Lawmakers later apologized, explaining that they were not opposed to another meeting outside of Akure.