There are strong indications that the impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, may not happen anytime soon on account of the rejection of the preliminary process by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olanrewaju Akeredolu.
The CJ rejected a letter written to her by the Assembly to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations leveled against Ajayi, saying that the House had not competed the constitutional process for such.
In the letter, titled, “Re:Request to set up 7-man panel pursuant to section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)”, the CJ said, “The Honourable members of the House of Assembly have not completed the constitutional process that would lead your (Speaker) very good self to invite my humble self to set up a panel of 7 to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct as stipulated in the constitution.
“Furthermore, I wish to bring to your notice a copy of letter which I received earlier today (Thursday) from Kayode Olagoke SAN, which tells me clearly that the matter of impeachment of Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, Deputy Governor of Ondo State is sub judice.”
The crisis in Ondo State had taken different dimensions since the Deputy Governor decamped from the All Progressives Congress to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and refused to resign from his post in government.
The Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde, also resigned and was immediately replaced with the former Commissioner for Tourism, Temitayo Oluwatuyi.
The House had, during its plenary, on Tuesday, served the deputy governor a notice of impeachment, signed by 14 legislators.
Nine members however opposed the impeachment process even as the Deputy Governor said he had not been served.
As the primary election in Ondo approaches, observers have urged the warring politicians to embrace responsible politics and shun any act that could lead to violence in the state.
