Ondo Assembly suspends impeachment move against deputy governor

The Ondo State House of Assembly suspended the impeachment proceedings against the state Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The decision followed the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola’s refusal to set up a panel to investigate Aiyedatiwa on the allegations against him.

The House on September 20 moved to impeach the deputy governor over alleged abuse of office and gross misconduct.

Aiyedatiwa later approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop the lawmakers from going ahead with the plan to remove him from office.

In a ruling delivered on September 26, Justice Emeka Nwite restrained the Assembly from impeaching the deputy governor.

He also restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The Assembly last week ordered the chief judge to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the deputy governor for alleged misconduct and abuse of office.

READ ALSO: AIYEDATIWA: Ondo Assembly pledges to stick to constitution

The All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, had since set up a committee headed by former Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, to reconcile Akeredolu and his deputy.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati, confirmed the suspension of the impeachment proceedings to journalists on Friday in Akure.

He said the House would abide by the order of the court which stopped the process.

The spokesman said: “We have considered the letter which is everywhere in the public domain and we are halting the impeachment process until the order of the Federal High Court is vacated.

“It is not about being arrogant with power, it is about holding public officers accountable. It also shows that the process of impeachment transcends the monopoly of the legislature as we can see that the judiciary has stalled it.”

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