Impeachment: Ondo Deputy Gov wins Round 1
BY ANDREW OROLUA
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday issued an order restraining the Ondo State House of Assembly from impeaching the State Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over alleged gross misconduct.
The state’s lawmakers had handed the embattled Deputy Governor an impeachment notice containing several allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him.
Gross misconduct is an impeachable offence under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
But, Justice Emeka Nwite gave the restraining order in a ruling shortly after Aiyedatiwa’s counsel, Kayode Adewusi, moved the ex-parte motion to the effect.
The judge also restrained the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, from nominating a new Deputy Governor and forwarding same to the State House of Assembly for approval pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
The judge further made an order of interim injunction restraining Akeredolu, his servants or privies from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing and preventing Aiyedatiwa in carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
Justice Nwite held that after listening to Adewusi, he was of the view that the interest of justice would be served by granting the application.
“Therefore, the application of the applicant succeeds,” he said.
The embattled Deputy Governor had in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, sued the Inspector-General of Police (IGP); the Department of State Services (DSS); Gov. Akeredolu; Speaker of the House of Assembly; Chief Judge (CJ) of Ondo State; and the House of Assembly as 1st to 6th respondents respectively.
In the application filed by Mr. Adelanke Akinrata on September 21, Aiyedatiwa sought four reliefs.
Justice Nwite, who granted all the reliefs adjourned the matter until October 9 for hearing.
Aiyedatiwa had, also in another suit marked: AK/348/2023, prayed the High Court in Akure to stop the State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed in the court on Monday.
The Deputy Governor, who held sway as the state’s helmsman for about three months while Gov. Akeredolu was abroad on medical leave recently, has been having running battles with the Governor since the latter’s return to the country on September 7 this year.
The governor had embarked on a 21-day leave on June 7, 2023 and was expected to return on July 6.
However, last August, Akeredolu wrote to the House of Assembly, notifying it that he would be extending his medical leave.
Shortly after returning to the country, Gov. Akeredolu had allegedly been holed up in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, from where he called the shots, rather than in Government House, Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The kernel of the rift between the State’s two topmost citizens is said to lie in the State’s governorship poll coming up in 2024.
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With Akeredolu’s prolonged absence due to ill-health, it was gathered, information reached certain political interests on ground in Ondo that he was allegedly incapacitated and could not be expected, on return, to perform state duties.
The perception, sources said, led to alignment and realignment of political forces within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state with some key government officials linked to the Deputy Governor jostling for succession to Akeredolu –to his utter chagrin, when he returned.
Many of those in the mix from the intra-political groups were said to be persons the Governor does not trust.
Added to these goings-on was the allegation that Aiyedatiwa, as Acting Governor in Akeredolu’s absence, okayed the purchase of a multimillion Naira SUV vehicle for himself.
