Ondo Assembly Bows To Pressure, Halts Impeachment Process Against Aiyedatiwa, Reveals When To Resume Proceedings

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Friday disclosed plans to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, have been halted, Naija News learned.

The Ondo Assembly said it decided to back down on Aiyedatiwa’s impeachment proceedings during its plenary session on Thursday, following the refusal of the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a panel to probe the deputy governor.

This platform reported on Thursday that Justice Olusegun Odusola declined the state Assembly’s request to set up a seven-man investigation panel to investigate Aiyedatiwa.

Recall that the Ondo State Assembly, as part of efforts to impeach Aiyedatiwa, wrote the CJ to form an investigative panel in line with section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended to look into the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the embattled deputy governor.

A move Aiyedatiwa kicked against by writing a counter letter to the CJ not to grant the assembly’s request to investigate him.

However, Naija News gathered that the Ondo CJ, in a letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Oladiji Olamide Aderanmi, with ref no. CROD/1123/V.3/ dated October 6, 2023, gave reasons for declining their request.

The CJ cited Section 287 (3) of the Constitution as to why he cannot act on the letter from the House.

He said the above provision of the Constitution barred him from performing the function by an order of a Federal High Court.

Sequel to this development, the Ondo Assembly bowed to pressure, saying that it would obey the order of the court and suspend the impeachment proceedings.

Speaking to pressmen in the state on Friday, the Chairman, of the House Committee on Information, Mr Olatunji Oshati, who revealed the development, noted that the House is suspending the impeachment proceedings until the order of the court is vacated.

Oshati, stated, “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. This is to show that it is not a witch-hunt, it is about carrying out our oversight functions.”

Meanwhile, a source in the Assembly told The Punch that the Ondo CJ has reached out to the Speaker to explain how tight in a corner he is on the matter because he just has to obey the court’s ex parte order restraining him from carrying out the directive of the Assembly.

The source said, “The CJ has reached out to Mr Speaker that he cannot set up a seven-member panel to probe the deputy governor as directed by the House, claiming that his hands are tied by the ex parte order issued by Justice Emeka Nwite, stopping the impeachment process.”