The State Assembly has written a new letter to the state chief judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, requesting the formation of a panel to look into the accusations of egregious misconduct against the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in spite of attempts by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to mend the political rift in Ondo State.
Remember that a powerful panel was established by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje to settle disputes involving Aiyedatiwa, the State Assembly, and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
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However, the House stated in a letter signed by Speaker Olamide Oladiji that the impeachment process had begun following the expiration of the Federal High Court’s ex parte ruling.
The letter’s title read, “Request to establish a seven-member panel to look into the allegations of serious misconduct against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, after the Federal High Court’s temporary injunction in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023 expires by operation of law.”
The letter stated, in part, that “In accordance with Section 188(5) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Ondo State House of Assembly had on October 3, 2023, requested Your Lordship to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled by the House against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
The Constitution’s Section 188 (10), which declares that “No proceedings or determination of the House of Assembly or the panel or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court,” was acknowledged by Your Lordship in a reply letter dated October 6, 2023.
However, Your Lordship believed that your hands would remain tied until the ex parte ruling issued by the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court on September 26, 2023, prohibiting you from assembling the panel was either vacated or set aside.
However, in light of the explicit terms of Order 26 Rule 10 (2) & (3) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, the aforementioned order has now expired and/or been extinguished by the operation of law, according to the facts and legal advice the House has access to.
Your Lordship would concur that the aforementioned order has expired due to the operation of law and is no longer a barrier to Your Lordship carrying out the sacred constitutional duty imposed on your office by virtue of Section 188(5) of the Constitution, which is to assemble the seven-member panel.
As a result, the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly politely requests that You please convene the panel as soon as possible.
Remember that the House halted the deputy governor’s impeachment proceedings after the APC’s national leadership intervened?
The Speaker had declared that the House had put a halt to the impeachment proceedings during the meeting in Abuja with Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the APC, and other prominent members of the party.
After that, the House demanded that Aiyedatiwa withdraw all of the lawsuits she had brought against the MPs and Akeredolu.
