Tag: Aiyedatiwa

There were clear indications on why the All Progressives Congress could not save the embattled Ondo state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

This was evident when the Ondo State House of Assembly declared on Tuesday, October 3, that Aiyedatiwa had failed to respond to a notice served on him on September 25 concerning allegations of gross misconduct.

Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, revealed during the plenary that the notice had been received on behalf of Aiyedatiwa by his chief protocol officer.

Following a motion by the Majority Leader, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, concerning the Ondo State Impeachment Panel Procedure Rules, it was proposed that the panel should be constituted by the Chief Judge of the state.

The motion was seconded by Felix Afe (Akoko North West 2-PDP).

The speaker stated that the seven days allowed for Aiyedatiwa to respond to the allegations as stipulated by the constitution has lapsed.

He said that the resolution that the deputy governor be duly served the notice of allegations signed by 11 lawmakers was in line with Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Oladiji noted: “Concerted efforts were made to serve the Notice on the deputy governor, who for some time was not available for the service, prompting the House to approach the court 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 Sub-section 2.”

He, therefore directed Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to immediately set up a seven-man panel to investigate Aiyedatiwa on the allegations levelled against him.

He stated: “Distinguished colleagues, Section 188 of the Constitution states further that the deputy governor has 7 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, Hon. 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.”

Read Also: Ondo Assembly urges court to dismiss Aiyedatiwa suit

A total of 23 out of 26 members at the plenary session supported the speaker through a voice vote.

Some Ondo APC leaders who spoke to our reporter said the move by the national body of the APC to save Aiyedatiwa from being impeached would fail because all APC stakeholders in the state have agreed that Aiyedatiwa must go.

The state chairman of the Ondo APC, Ade Adetimehin, said the state chapter would work with the national body for possible resolution of the impasse.

A source said many aides who sided with Aiyedatiwa especially those already penciled to be Deputy Governor, Chief of Staff, SSG would soon be sacked.

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has granted leave to the deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to serve all processes filed in the suit on the state House of Assembly, its speaker, Olamide Oladiji, and the Clerk, Benjamin Jaiyeola.

Justice O. Akintan-Osadebay ordered that all processes filed in the suit be served on the defendants by posting on the front side wall/fence or entrance gate or any conspicuous area of the Assembly Complex.

He also directed the processes to be pasted on the notice board of the High Court of Justice, Akure.

The order of Justice Osadebey followed an application by Aiyedatiwa seeking an order for leave of the Court to serve the Assembly by substituted means by posting the court processes on the wall/fence of the Assembly Complex.

Arguing the application, the lead counsel to Aiyedatiwa, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, narrated that the Assembly had conducted its affairs illegally and displayed unacceptable acts of legislative rascality by locking the entrance gate of the Assembly in order to evade service of court processes.

Read Also: Lawyers fault Aiyedatiwa on suit to stop impeachment

The Judge granted the application and adjourned the hearing of the suit to October 6, 2023.

It was gathered that the bailiff of the court has since complied with the order of the Court by posting the court processes as directed by the Court.

Aiyedatiwa, in the Originating Summons, is seeking a declaration his office, tenure, and status as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State are creations and establishments of the Constitution and therefore could not be withdrawn, tampered with, altered, shortened, or jeopardized by the defendants except and in a manner permitted by law.

He is seeking a declaration that he is entitled to a fair hearing from the defendants and that the Defendants were not entitled to take any step or decision affecting him as such in violation of his right to a fair hearing.

Aiyedatiwa is asking for an injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with his office, status, and tenure as the deputy governor of Ondo state.

ReplyForward

Ondo State Consciousness Movement (OCM) has called on the House of Assembly to follow laid down procedures  as it begins impeachment of the deputy governor. 

 The group said the powers vested in the legislature must be wielded with consciousness of their representative capacity on behalf of the people, rather than being exercised on a whim.

In a statement by OCM Chair, Shalom Olaseni, the group demanded increased accountability in government and a return to prioritising issues that have impact on the state’s prosperity and welfare of the people. 

 She said the grounds for impeachment must be rooted in identifiable ultra vires actions that the constitution outlines.

Read Also: Impeachment: Ondo youths protest, warn Aiyedatiwa against turning state into war zone

 “We want to demand with regards to reports of a plot to impeach Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, that all actions taken by the House of Assembly be conducted in accordance with the  law, and constitutional provisions.

  “It is our belief the legislature should not allow itself to be tainted with political witch-hunt or vendettas. The alleged discord between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, stemming from the deputy’s alleged ambition, should not overshadow justice and adherence to constitutional principles.

 “We condemn the lacuna in governance as needless and avoidable, and call for a refocus on matters that affect our state’s fortunes and wellbeing of its people”, the group said.

 “We want to urge and impress on members to consider that the speed, focus, and determination with which the impeachment agenda is pursued could have been channelled toward addressing governance”.

Kinsmen of the embattled deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday, September 26, staged a peaceful protest at the Ondo State House of Assembly demanding an end to the impeachment move against Aiyedatiwa.

The protesters who hail from Ilaje, Ilaje Local Government Area, said the lawmakers did not consult their constituents before carrying out the impeachment proceedings.

They said the move by the lawmakers was politically motivated to witchhunt Aiyedatiwa ahead of next year’s governorship election.

Inscriptions on the placards carried by the protesters read: “Justice for Lucky,” Lucky Is Innocent, “Stop Alleging Him Wrongly “Ilaje Nation Stands With h Aiyedatiwa,” “Aketi, Lucky Is Not Your Enemy.”

The founder of the Ilaje World Congress, Ola Juda, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, said Aiyedatiwa, being the first Ilaje man to be deputy governor, must finish his tenure.

He said: “This gathering is the gathering of sons and daughters of Ilaje land; not only Ilaje, we have other sympathisers from Akure and Ese-Odo Idanre Axis that have come together to protest against injustice and the battle that is going to erupt in Ondo State. The peace of Ondo State is being threatened by the actions of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

“Ilaje has been without light for the past few days. The House of Assembly cannot pass a bill to quicken the authorities to make sure there’s light on Ilaje land. The whole of Ilaje land is about to be taken away; every part of Ilaje is gone due to the oil exploitation in our area, and yet the Ondo Assembly cannot pass a bill that would enhance the development in the community.

“For the past decades, an Ilaje man has never been a Deputy Governor for the first time. We have a deputy governor, and yet power has a vow that he will not finish his tenure.

“Aketi/Lucky mandate was given to both of them and if Aketi is still the governor of Ondo State, our own mandate as the deputy governor still remains.

Read Also: Impeachment: Don’t incur people’s wrath, ex-lawmakers warn Ondo Assembly

“Any of the members of the house of assembly from Ilaje land that sign any motives of impeachment against Lucky Ayiedatiwa, against the Ilaje mandate, is on his own; the Ilaje people have not sent him to sign anything; they haven’t told us that Lucky has done anything bad.

“Anybody should not tamper with the mandate of Ilaje. If you think you can chase Lucky, don’t worry; we will pay you back next year in the same coin.

There was a heavy security presence at the entrance of the Assembly gate.

One of the policemen who addressed the protesters urged them not to allow miscreants to hijack the protest.

He stated: “You have the right to ask the House of Assembly to take a second thought on their decision; what the police would not tolerate is that there should be violence.”

A Federal High Court in Abuja has halted his planned impeachment of the deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa by the state’s House of Assembly.

In a ruling on Tuesday, September 26, Justice Emeka Nwite restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the Speaker, the Chief Judge, and the House of Assembly from taking steps to remove Aiyedatiwa from office.

Justice Nwite noted that the restraining interim injunction, which among other similar injunctions issued in the ruling, is to subsist pending the determination of a pending motion on notice for interlocutory injunctions.

The judge said: “In order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants/respondents whether by themselves or their agents, servants, privies assigns or any other persons acting for or on their behalf from initiating any process for the removal and or impeachment of the plaintiff/applicant as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory application.”

The ruling was on an ex-parte motion argued on Tuesday by Aiyedatiwa’s lawyer in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023.

Read Also: Aiyedatiwa files suit to stop Ondo Assembly from impeachment proceedings

Listed as defendants/respondents in the suit are the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the State Security Service (SSS), the Governor of Ondo State, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, the Chief Judge of Ondo State and Ondi State House of Assembly.

The court also restrained the governor and his agents from using officers of the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents (IGP and SSS) to harass, intimidate, embarrass, and prevent Aiyedatiwa from “carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Ondo state including meeting with, accessing and or communicating with the 3rd defendant/respondent (the Governor) and other duties pertaining to his office pending the hearing and determination of the Interlocutory application.”

Other injunctions issued by the court include: An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th defendants/despondents, whether by themselves or their agents, servants, privies assigns or any other persons acting for or on their behalf from initiating any process for the removal and or impeachment of the plaintiff/applicant as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory application.

“An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 3rd, 4th and 6th defendants/respondents. whether by themselves or their agents, servants, privies, assigns or any other persons acting for or on their behalf from initiating any process for the nomination of a new Deputy Governor of Ondo State by the 3rd defendant/respondent for the approval of same for appointment as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State by the 4th and 6th defendants/respondents based on a letter of resignation purportedly authored/signed by the plaintiff/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory application.

“An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 5th defendants/respondents, whether by himself or his agents, servants. privies, assigns or any other persons acting for or on his behalf from constituting any seven-man panel at the instance of the 4th defendant/respondent in respect of the complaint(s) against the plaintiff and or swearing-in any new Deputy Governor of Ondo State nominated by 3rd defendant/respondent and the appointment approved by the 6th defendant/respondents pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory application.

Further hearing in the suit has been adjourned till October 9.

Former members of the Ondo State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned the incumbent lawmakers not to incur the people’s wrath by heating up the polity in the quest to impeach the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

They cautioned that the sanctity of the legislature should not be dragged into what they termed a ridiculous plot of impeaching Aiyedatiwa.

The former lawmakers, who spoke under the auspices of the Coalition of Concerned Ex-Lawmakers, said the Ondo Assembly should rise above every reproach and distraction.

Speaking at a press conference in Akure, Abiodun Jerome, said it was unfortunate that the impeachment proceeding was the priority of the lawmakers among the myriads of critical issues confronting the state.

Read Also: Court stops impeachment of Ondo deputy gov Aiyedatiwa

Jerome said the Ondo Assembly has set itself up for public ridicule if it continues to ignore the material fact at its disposal as to how public procurement works.

He said: “We believe this issue is not about the Governor or his Deputy but about the integrity of our dear Sunshine State, Ondo State and its people.

“We are sure allegations like these should not stand unless the allegations are served with the evidence that proves them.

“So, claiming that Aiyedatiwa wants to purchase a vehicle for personal use is just calling a dog a bad name so as to hang it this is the same Assembly that has not got the balls to confront the State Executives Arm to give an account of how it expended the #2B palliative fund from the FG.

“The Assembly must be very careful from turning themselves into a puppet in the hand of some desperate politicians.

“It is on this note that we challenge the present Assembly not to endorse a bad precedence by going ahead with this planned impeachment of the deputy governor.”