The impeachment process against the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has suffered a setback as the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, failed to respond to the request of the state House of Assembly to set up a probe panel.
The House had, during its plenary session last week, directed the CJ to set up a panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor following his refusal to respond to the notice of allegation sent to him.
It was gathered that Justice Odusola communicated to the Assembly on Wednesday informing it of his inability to set up the panel. There is an indication that development might stall the impeachment process.
Having been served, the CJ was said to have cited a subsisting court’s ex parte order restraining him from carrying out the directive of the Assembly.
A source in the Assembly, who confirmed the development, 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.”
When contacted on the telephone, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, confirmed the development, saying the House would respect the law and due process would be followed on the matter.
“No matter the hindrance, we are going to follow the process,” he declared.
The PUNCH reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on September 27 restrained the Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment process against Aiyedatiwa pending the determination of a suit to filed to challenge the same.
The judge 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.
Aiyedatiwa’s lawyer, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said in a statement on Tuesday that Justice Nwite’s order remained in force, despite the application by the deputy governor to discontinue the case.
Aiyedatiwa had on Monday moved to discontinue the suit on the grounds that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress had constituted a panel to resolve the differences between the Ondo governor and his deputy.
It was also reported that the Ondo State High Court in Akure on Tuesday threw out a second suit filed to stop the impeachment moves.
Justice O. Akintan-Osadebay described the suit as an abuse of the court process in view of the other suit before Justice Nwite in Abuja.
But displeased with the judgment, Aiyedatiwa, through Adegboruwa, proceeded on appeal. (Punch)
