Ondo deputy governor’s attempt to halt the impeachment process is rejected by the court

Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the state’s troubled deputy governor, had petitioned a high court in Akure, Ondo state, to overturn the state legislature’s impeachment of him.

Justice O. Akintan-Osadebay refused jurisdiction in his ruling in order to prevent a split decision between the Abuja Federal High Court and the Ondo High Court.

Akintan-Osadebay declared that bringing the identical action before the high courts in Abuja and Akure constituted a flagrant abuse of the legal system.

Recall that on September 25, 2023, Aiyedatiwa petitioned the court in a case titled AK/348/2023 to prevent the House of Assembly from impeaching him.

The deputy governor asked for a declaration that “the House of Assembly is not competent to proceed on his impeachment in violation of his constitutional and fundamental rights to a fair hearing and that the removal of his media assistants and submission to the Ministry of Information headed by a Commissioner amounts to a violation of his rights and privileges as a deputy governor.”

Aiyedatiwa ‘is also seeking a declaration that his office, tenure, status, rights, and privileges are protected, guaranteed, and secured by the Constitution, and the declaration that in the House of Assembly’s determination of his civil rights and obligations as a Deputy Governor of Ondo State, he is entitled to a fair hearing and that there is likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process given the House of Assembly’s statements and conduct so far’.

According to him, the House Assembly has assumed the roles of accuser, investigator, prosecutor, and judge by holding media trials against him without providing him with any notice of gross misbehaviour.

The House of Assembly was then ordered to suspend starting, continuing, or moving forward with the process of removing Aiyedatiwa from his position as deputy governor of Ondo State.

He also asks for a court order to prevent the Ondo State Chief Judge from agreeing to or acting on any request by the state’s House of Assembly to form a panel to look into any allegations of egregious misconduct against the Deputy Governor.

The Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Clerk of the Ondo State House of Assembly, and the Chief Judge of Ondo State are all named as defendants in the lawsuit brought by human rights attorney Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN.

READ ALSO: Ondo: Aiyedatiwa’s attorney requests that the Chief Judge halt the impeachment process

When no notice of acts of alleged gross misconduct was served on the Deputy Governor, it was claimed in the affidavit supporting the original summons that the House of Assembly launched a media trial of him solely to embarrass him and stir up public opinion against him.

Additionally, he charged that certain individuals who are gladiators in the political arena conspired with the House of Assembly to persecute him without a legitimate reason.

Group: Dep gov isn’t prepared for reconciliation A group operating under the banner of the Ondo Masses Solidarity Movement (MSM) has claimed that the deputy governor has refused to drop the lawsuit he filed to challenge the Ondo State House of Assembly’s decision to impeach him.

The organisation recalls that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership intervened in the case, and Aiyedatiwa’s attorney, Mr. Ebun-olu Adegboruwa (SAN), informed the court that the deputy governor intended to withdraw the lawsuit as a result.

Chief Ogunyemi Jeremiah, the initiative’s coordinator, claimed in a statement released in Akure that “the story was placed in the newspaper to postpone the court case and mislead the public about a reconciliation attempt.

Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is currently facing impeachment, and Jeremiah stated that “we find it necessary to address the spread of fake news as published in today’s newspaper.”

“We implore the public to ignore the erroneous reports that Aiyedatiwa has dropped his suit opposing his impeachment. People trying to prolong the impeachment procedure and delay the case created this tale in its published form.

In reality, the deputy governor has demonstrated that he is not prepared for reconciliation, if anything.

“It looks that he is lying and pretending when he keeps referring to the reconciliation committee. The deputy governor’s proclamation of reconciliation while actively pursuing legal action is unfortunate.

The deputy governor recently appealed the Akure High Court’s decision to reject jurisdiction over the lawsuit challenging his impeachment.

This is against Aiyedatiwa’s reconciliation philosophy. One cannot urge for reconciliation and open a court case at the same time.

“As Ondo State stakeholders, we no longer have faith in the deputy governor’s capacity to hold public office.

Jeremiah stated that using legal means to stop impeachment proceedings is a disservice to the state’s citizens, particularly when facing severe allegations involving taxpayer money and refusing to respond.

(Vanguard)