Embattled Deputy Governor of Ondo State Lucky Aiyedatiwa has asked the state High Court to stop the moves by the House of Assembly to impeach him.
In a suit filed yesterday by his counsel, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa(SAN), Aiyedatiwa said his removal would amount to a breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to fair -hearing.
He expressed concern that the Assembly moved to sack him without first letting him into his alleged wrongdoings.
Yestetday, the House of Assembly directed the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to constitute a seven-man panel of inquiry to investigate allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor.
The Majority Leader, Emmanuel Ogunmolasuyi, who moved the motion, said it was in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
Speaker Olamide Oladiji said it was imperative to investigate the allegation in line with the constitution
He directed Justice Odusola to set up a Seven-Man Panel on inquiry to investigate the allegations against the Deputy Governor and report to the house.
Oladiji added: “The Deputy Governor is hereby given seven days to respond to the letter written to him by this honourable house”
The deputy governor accused the lawmakers of persecution and media trial in order to incite the public against him.
Restating his loyalty to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa added that he was aware that some “political gladiators” were goading the Assembly to remove him.
Listed as defendants are the state government, Akeredolu, Speaker and Clerk of the Assembly as well as the Chief Judge of thd state, Justice Ayedun Odusola.
The suit was filed amid a claim by Speaker Olamide Oladiji that he saw a strange object in front of his official residence in Akure. Oladiji added that since the impeachment process commenced, he has received a number of telephone calls threatening his life.
Howevet, former National Secretary of Afenifere Seinde Arogbofa and Ondo Redemption Front (ORF) advised against the removal of the deputy governor.
The Assembly had last week written to Aiyedatiwa to answer issues contained in a petition by nine lawmakers.
One of the issues is that he tried to purchase an N300 million bulletproof Sports Utility Van when Akeredolu was on medical vacation.
In the suit, Aiyedatiwa sought the following declarations:
*that the Assembly is not competent to proceed with his impeachment ;
*that sacking of his media aides and subjecting him to the Ministry of Information headed by a Commissioner amounted to a breach of his rights and privileges as a deputy governor.
*that his office, tenure, status, rights and privileges were protected, guaranteed and secured by the 1999 Constitution.
*that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations as a deputy governor, he is entitled to a fair hearing
*that there is a likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process given the utterances and conduct of the Assembly.
Aiyedatiwa further urged the court to stop the state’s Chief Judge from accepting any request from the Assembly to set up a panel to investigate any act of misconduct against him.
He accused the Assembly of constituting itself as an accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge by conducting media trials against him.
In an affidavit to support the originating summons, Aiyedatiwa claimed that the media trial was to scandalise and incite public opinion against him.
The deputy governor later issued a statement in which he dismissed a claim by Olatunji Oshati, chairman of the House Committee on Information, that he had been served impeachment notice.
“I have not seen it(impeachment notice) and I have not been served, ” he said and called on the Chief Judge “to take note.”
The deputy governor maintained that he was “in the dark regarding any allegation” against him by the Assembly
The statement reads: “I find it especially worrying that the spokesman of the House of Assembly would go on national television to speak on such matter without any evidence to show that such letter has been delivered to me.
“More disturbing is the fact that even when he was asked if the letter had been delivered, he gave no coherent answer.
“A sensitive constitutional matter of this nature, an impeachment process, should not be conducted on the pages of newspapers and television screens.
“In effect, I reiterate that if such letter of allegations of gross misconduct against me exists, I have not seen it and I have not been served.”
Earlier, Speaker Oladiji claimed that he had been receiving death threats since the impeachment proceeding against the deputy governor began.
The speaker added that many lawmakers, especially those from Ondo South Senatorial District where the deputy governor hails from, have been warned not to return home.
His words: “I saw an object in front of my lodge while driving out this(yesterday) morning. I have been receiving threats of various kinds. There are calls from different people. My life has been under serious threat from unknown people. I call on security operatives to help us track the people.
“This is a legislative assignment. They want to suppress me .”
Asked if the deputy governor had been served the impeachment notice, the Speaker replied:” We have served the deputy governor through substituted service.
“We got an affidavit and served him through his office. He has been served. People see me as the arrowhead to removing Aiyedatiwa.
“My members are complaining about receiving threats. Those from the South are being threatened not to return home.”
Arogbofa appealed to Akeredolu to forgive Aiyedatiwa of whatever wrongdoing he has done to him.
Arogbofa also called on well-meaning indigenes of the state to rise up and quench ‘this gathering storm whose full explosion will not be healthy for the State.’”
He added in a statement that the founding fathers of the state would not be happy to see the current storm consume the state.
Arogbofa said: “My fear, nay our fear, is that the present gathering political storm between the governor and his deputy arising from alleged disloyalty, if not checked or properly handled, will lead to very bad blood, developmental setback, disruptive tendencies within the polity, and, in turn, have their unhealthy backlash on the civil service and the welfare of the common man.
“The issue on the ground needs careful handling so as not to lead to any major crisis. Therefore, our honourable members should remember they have their names to protect in whatever they do. They should be mindful of the verdict of history. We therefore call on them for fair play and justice to arrest the gathering storm.
“I know Arakunrin (Akeredolu) to be a good Christian. Let him forgive anyone who might have done anything wrong against him or against his office.”
Also yesterday, ORF appealed to the National Assembly to call the leadership of the state Assembly to order.
It called on the state Assembly to stop the impeachment process in order to prevent unnecessary political crisis in the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Akure, the Chairman of the ORF, Ayodeji Ologun, said impeaching Aiyedatiwa was not in the best interest of the people.
Ologun said the lawmakers ought to push for the restoration of governance in the state by first asking about the governor’s whereabouts.
Ologun said: “While Mr Akeredolu returned to the country, for over two weeks that he returned to Nigeria in a controversial manner, he has not been sighted in the state. Rather, also, worthy of mention is the fact that since the return of Mr Akeredolu and his refusal to resume at his official duty -post for the governance of the state, a situation that is causing serious apprehension in the state, the State House of Assembly has not been helping matters.
“The Ondo State House of Assembly has decided to add salt to injury by instigating violence, anarchy and orchestrating break down of law and order by embarking on an unjustified and unwarranted process of impeachment of Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the expense of the peace, stability and the welfare of the people of Ondo State.”
But Akeredolu’s Chief Press Secretary Richard Olatunde said the location of the governor has not hindered any form of development in the state.
He said: “The government is not only functional but also actively advancing the state’s development.
The location of the governor, therefore, should not be sensationalised, but rather, the focus should be on the tangible progress being made in the state.”
