Impeachment: Ondo CJ Gives Condition For Probe Panel

Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the state’s assembly appeared to be in a dilemma over the impeachment plot against the Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The plot to unseat Aiyedatiwa came to a halt on Tuesday as the state’s chief judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, declined the order of the state House of Assembly to set up a panel to probe the embattled second citizen of the state within seven days.

LEADERSHIP learnt that Odusola had intimated the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Olamide Oladiji, that he would not be able to carry out the directive until the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which stopped the impeachment processes against Aiyedatiwa was vacated.

Odusola transmitted a letter to Oladiji intimating him about the latest development yesterday.

The seven-day deadline handed down to Odusola by the legislature expired on Tuesday.

The Assembly at its plenary on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, ordered Odusola to set up a seven-member panel to investigate 14-count allegations bordering on official misconduct slammed on Aiyedatiwa within seven days.

A lawmaker in the state’s legislature told LEADERSHIP that Odusola advised the speaker to go and vacate the order of the Federal Court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, as a precondition for him to obey the Assembly.

He said, “The CJ has reached out to Mr. Speaker that he cannot set up a 7-member panel to probe the deputy governor as directed by the House, claiming that his hands are tied by the interim order issued by Justice Emeka Nwite stopping the impeachment process.

“The CJ further told Mr. Speaker that the House should make conscious efforts to remove that hurdle, otherwise he would not be able to set up the panel.

The CJ assured that the seven-day window for him to carry out the assignment would commence from the day the order of the federal high court is vacated.

“When the speaker drew the attention of the CJ to the action of the state’s high court, which vacated a similar order on Tuesday, he responded that the state’s high court didn’t expressly direct him to act. So, the House would have to initiate moves to vacate the controversial order before we can make any headway on this matter,” added the lawmaker, who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned in print.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Justice Nwite had on September 16th granted an ex-parte order barring Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor.

The House in protest against the order of the Abuja federal high court petitioned Nwite to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The relationship between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa collapsed when the deputy governor acted as the chief executive of the state as his boss went on medical vacation in Germany.

As Aiyedatiwa acted as governor, he was accused of plotting to unseat his boss by Akeredolu’s family members and political associates.

Consequently, he was slammed with 14-count allegations bordering on gross misconduct and financial impropriety.

Oladiji declined to comment on the report when contacted by our correspondent yesterday. He also ignored calls and messages aimed at seeking his reaction.