- Lawmakers adamant, order CJ to constitute panel
- Group warns legislators against impeachment
The Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approached the state High Court, sitting in Akure, to stop the impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly against him.
In suit No. AK/348/2023, filed on Monday, by Ebun Adenoruwa SAN, the embattled deputy governor, asked the court to stop the impeachment process against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit that he has filed in court.
The state house of assembly began the process of impeachment of the deputy governor last week, as it wrote a letter to Aiyedatiwa, over an allegation of gross misconduct, while he was in office as an acting governor.
Defendants in the suit include the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Olumide Oladiji, the Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Ondo State.
In the originating summons, the deputy governor was seeking an ” injunction restraining the defendants and their agents, privies and representatives from interfering with, restricting, disempowering and/or preventing the claimant from discharging his constitutional duties and functions as the duly elected deputy governor of Ondo State in a joint and equal ticket with the governor of the Ondo State.
He also sought “an order forthwith reinstating/restoring the total rights and privileges attached or accruing to the office of the Claimant as duly elected Deputy Governor of Ondo State which include, but not limited to the restoration of all media aides and press crew attached to the office of the claimant as Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa sought “an order setting aside any purported process or notice of any allegation of Gross Misconduct against the Claimant on the ground that such process or notice is a violation of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State House of Assembly has directed the Chief Judge of the state Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct leveled against Aiyedatiwa.
The House had earlier written a letter of allegation to the embattled deputy governor, alleging him of committing gross misconduct while in office as the acting governor, during which the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, was on a medical vacation in Germany.
The House gave the directive on Monday evening during its plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji.
Moving the motion to constitute the panel, the Majority Leader of the House, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said the directive was in line with the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.
The motion was seconded by the lawmaker representing the Ifedore Constituency. Tope Komolafe.
Ogunmolasuyi said, “In line with the Nigeria Constitution, Section 188 subsection 4-5, the Chief Judge of the state shall as requested by the House of Assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who are of unquestionable character and integrity, to investigate the allegation as regarded by the section.”
In his remark, the speaker said it was imperative to investigate any matter of allegation in line with the constitution, adding that the House will continue to follow due process in its operations.
Oladiji directed the state’s CJ to set up a seven-man panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation against the deputy governor and report to the House.
“The deputy governor is hereby given seven days to respond to the letter written to him by this honourable House,” the speaker stated.
The Assembly has finally served Aiyedatiwa with his impeachment notice.
The letter, dated September 20, 2023, written and signed by the Speaker of the assembly, Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, was received, signed and stamped by the office of the deputy governor on Monday, September 25, 2023.
The embattled deputy governor had claimed that he had not been served with the alleged notice of gross misconduct by the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The state legislature had begun the impeachment process of the state deputy governor over alleged gross misconduct on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
In the letter, titled ‘Notice of Allegation of Gross Misconduct Against Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Deputy Governor, Ondo State’, and signed by 11 lawmakers, Aiyedatiwa was accused of “Gross misconduct, abuse of office with actions likely to bring down Ondo State Government, financial recklessness, publication in print media by your media aides maligning the credibility of the Governor,”.
However, the letter also stated that the deputy governor responds to the allegations leveled against him, under the provision of Section 188 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended).
The House had alleged that the embattled deputy governor was involved in some act of gross misconduct while in office as the acting governor.
Aiyedatiwa acted as governor while Governor Rotimi Akeredolu went abroad for medical treatment.
He acted between June 13 and September 9 when the governor returned.
A group, the Ondo Redemption Front has cautioned the Ondo State House of Assembly against impeaching Aiyedatiwa.
The group also called on the National Assembly to intervene in the ongoing impeachment process of Aiyedatiwa.
Speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, the chairman of the ORF, Ayodeji Ologun, expressed dissatisfaction over the state of the Sunshine State in recent times, saying the state had been grounded governmentally, following the absence of the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, from the state.
Ologun added that the state assembly should be addressing many challenges facing the state currently, rather than pursuing the removal of the deputy governor, describing the alleged move as a waste of time and resources of the state.
He said, “Also, worthy of mention is the fact that since the return of Mr. Akeredolu and his refusal to resume his official duty -post for the governance of the state, a situation that is causing serious apprehension in the state, the state House of Assembly has not been helping matters.
“Rather, the Ondo State House of Assembly has decided to add salt to injury by instigating violence, anarchy and orchestrating break down of law and order by embarking on the unjustified and unwarranted process of impeachment
of the Deputy Governor Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“The impeachment is at the expense of the peace, stability, and the welfare of the people of Ondo State. In view of the above-stated and the contemplation of section 11(1)(4)(5) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we hereby implore the National Assembly to call the Ondo State House of Assembly to order.
“This is in the overriding interest of the people of the state and the country at large. We strongly believe that politics should be the least of the worries of the political class in Ondo State at the moment but the delivery of good governance is in the overriding interest of the people,” it noted.
The group said the issue of impeachment was not about accountability but “a vendetta by a class of crass opportunists who have unfettered access to thIMPEACHMENT PLOT
Ondo Deputy Governor drags Akeredolu, Assembly, CJ to court
.Lawmakers adamant, order CJ to constitute panel
.Group warns legislators against impeachment
The Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approached the state High Court, sitting in Akure, to stop the impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly against him.
In suit No. AK/348/2023, filed on Monday, by Ebun Adenoruwa SAN, the embattled deputy governor, asked the court to stop the impeachment process against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit that he has filed in court.
The state house of assembly began the process of impeachment of the deputy governor last week, as it wrote a letter to Aiyedatiwa, over an allegation of gross misconduct, while he was in office as an acting governor.
Defendants in the suit include the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Olumide Oladiji, the Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Ondo State.
In the originating summons, the deputy governor was seeking an ” injunction restraining the defendants and their agents, privies and representatives from interfering with, restricting, disempowering and/or preventing the claimant from discharging his constitutional duties and functions as the duly elected deputy governor of Ondo State in a joint and equal ticket with the governor of the Ondo State.
He also sought “an order forthwith reinstating/restoring the total rights and privileges attached or accruing to the office of the Claimant as duly elected Deputy Governor of Ondo State which include, but not limited to the restoration of all media aides and press crew attached to the office of the claimant as Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa sought “an order setting aside any purported process or notice of any allegation of Gross Misconduct against the Claimant on the ground that such process or notice is a violation of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State House of Assembly has directed the Chief Judge of the state Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct leveled against Aiyedatiwa.
The House had earlier written a letter of allegation to the embattled deputy governor, alleging him of committing gross misconduct while in office as the acting governor, during which the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, was on a medical vacation in Germany.
The House gave the directive on Monday evening during its plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji.
Moving the motion to constitute the panel, the Majority Leader of the House, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said the directive was in line with the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.
The motion was seconded by the lawmaker representing the Ifedore Constituency. Tope Komolafe.
Ogunmolasuyi said, “In line with the Nigeria Constitution, Section 188 subsection 4-5, the Chief Judge of the state shall as requested by the House of Assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who are of unquestionable character and integrity, to investigate the allegation as regarded by the section.”
In his remark, the speaker said it was imperative to investigate any matter of allegation in line with the constitution, adding that the House will continue to follow due process in its operations.
Oladiji directed the state’s CJ to set up a seven-man panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation against the deputy governor and report to the House.
“The deputy governor is hereby given seven days to respond to the letter written to him by this honourable House,” the speaker stated.
The Assembly has finally served Aiyedatiwa with his impeachment notice.
The letter, dated September 20, 2023, written and signed by the Speaker of the assembly, Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, was received, signed and stamped by the office of the deputy governor on Monday, September 25, 2023.
The embattled deputy governor had claimed that he had not been served with the alleged notice of gross misconduct by the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The state legislature had begun the impeachment process of the state deputy governor over alleged gross misconduct on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
In the letter, titled ‘Notice of Allegation of Gross Misconduct Against Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Deputy Governor, Ondo State’, and signed by 11 lawmakers, Aiyedatiwa was accused of “Gross misconduct, abuse of office with actions likely to bring down Ondo State Government, financial recklessness, publication in print media by your media aides maligning the credibility of the Governor,”.
However, the letter also stated that the deputy governor responds to the allegations leveled against him, under the provision of Section 188 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended).
The House had alleged that the embattled deputy governor was involved in some act of gross misconduct while in office as the acting governor.
Aiyedatiwa acted as governor while Governor Rotimi Akeredolu went abroad for medical treatment.
He acted between June 13 and September 9 when the governor returned.
A group, the Ondo Redemption Front has cautioned the Ondo State House of Assembly against impeaching Aiyedatiwa.
The group also called on the National Assembly to intervene in the ongoing impeachment process of Aiyedatiwa.
Speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, the chairman of the ORF, Ayodeji Ologun, expressed dissatisfaction over the state of the Sunshine State in recent times, saying the state had been grounded governmentally, following the absence of the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, from the state.
Ologun added that the state assembly should be addressing many challenges facing the state currently, rather than pursuing the removal of the deputy governor, describing the alleged move as a waste of time and resources of the state.
He said, “Also, worthy of mention is the fact that since the return of Mr. Akeredolu and his refusal to resume his official duty -post for the governance of the state, a situation that is causing serious apprehension in the state, the state House of Assembly has not been helping matters.
“Rather, the Ondo State House of Assembly has decided to add salt to injury by instigating violence, anarchy and orchestrating break down of law and order by embarking on the unjustified and unwarranted process of impeachment
of the Deputy Governor Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“The impeachment is at the expense of the peace, stability, and the welfare of the people of Ondo State. In view of the above-stated and the contemplation of section 11(1)(4)(5) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we hereby implore the National Assembly to call the Ondo State House of Assembly to order.
“This is in the overriding interest of the people of the state and the country at large. We strongly believe that politics should be the least of the worries of the political class in Ondo State at the moment but the delivery of good governance is in the overriding interest of the people,” it noted.
The group said the issue of impeachment was not about accountability but “a vendetta by a class of crass opportunists who have unfettered access to the resources of the state occasioned by the incapacity of the governor.”e resources of the state occasioned by the incapacity of the governor.”
