The Ondo State House of Assembly has issued a new instruction to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusegun Odusola, directing him to establish a seven-member panel tasked with investigating allegations of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Last week, the Assembly initiated the impeachment process against the deputy governor, presenting him with a notice containing 14 allegations of gross misconduct. During the Tuesday plenary session, it was noted that the deputy governor had not yet responded to the allegations.
In response, Majority Leader Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi proposed a motion to instruct the Chief Judge to convene a panel to commence the investigation of Mr. Aiyedatiwa. This motion was seconded by Mr Felix Afe.
During the proceedings, Speaker Olamide Oladiji confirmed Deputy Governor Aiyedatiwa’s alleged failure to address the allegations. He mentioned that the letter of notice had been received by the Deputy Governor’s Chief Protocol Officer on his behalf.
The Speaker pointed out that Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution mandates the Assembly to wait for seven days for the Deputy Governor to respond, a period which had already passed.
He explained, “We made concerted efforts to deliver the notice to the Deputy Governor, who, for a period, was unavailable for the service. Consequently, the House sought legal recourse for a substituted service on the Deputy Governor.”
“On 25th of September, a substituted service of the notice of allegations was made on the deputy governor duly signed by more than one-third of honourable members of the House as required by the Constitution in Section 188(2).”
He added, “Section 188 of the Constitution states further that the deputy governor has seven days within which to reply to the allegations levelled against him.
“The constitution states further that within seven days of the passing of a motion, under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the state shall at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly appoint a panel of seven persons.
“Distinguished colleagues, I, therefore, wish to seek your opinion to direct the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Honourable Justice Olusegun Odusola, to, in line with this section of the constitution, set up a seven-man panel to investigate the deputy governor on the allegations levelled against him.”
The deputy governor had last week secured an interim order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining the Assembly from moving to impeach the deputy governor.
The court also restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor and forwarding the same to the lawmakers for approval pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
