Olanusi: Ondo APC Slams Lawmakers over Impeachment Process

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ondo State, has ‎decried what it termed the undue process being followed by lawmakers in the House of Assembly to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, over allegations of gross misconduct.

The party also threatened that refusal to follow the country’s constitution in the bid to remove the Deputy Governor, might cause unavoidable crisis.

In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Omo’baAbayomiAdesanya, to journalists, on Sunday, in Akure, the capital city, said the impeachment process of Olanusi had begun on a wrong premise and was not in keeping with the constitution of the country.

‎”The House of Assembly has commenced the impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, on a wrong premise, by pasting the impeachment notice on the gate of his (Olanusi) residence, at the Government House, Alagbaka.

“The law requires the investigative panel a duration of three (3) months to do its findings on a very sensitive issue of impeachment of Governor or Deputy.”

Adesanyasaid Olanusi had earlier, on Friday, April 17, 2015, written to Governor Mimiko, with Ref. No. OBG/A/136/67, to the effect that he would be going on routine medical check-up outside the country.

“The Deputy Governor who had travelled, since Saturday, April 18, 2105, is unaware of any impeachment notice or proceeding against him, as he has not been duly served. Therefore, he (Deputy Governor) could not be expected to reply to allegations he is not aware of.”

“To further display Mimiko’s desperation to unlawfully remove Ali Olanusi from office as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, 48 hours after the purported service of impeachment on him, an investigative panel was set up by the Chief Judge on April 23, 2105.

“The said panel, on the same day, went ahead to paste a summons to the Deputy Governor, to appear before it, the following day, April 24, 2015, on the fence of the Deputy Governor’s residence. Why the hurry?” hequeried. ‎

Adesanya also accused the Chief Judge and the investigative panel of taking bribe from Mimiko for which they seem to be actin g out a script.

“We have it on good authority that each member of the seven-man panel was bribed with N20 million, the chairman Mr. OlatunjiAdeniyan, N30 million, while the Chief Judge, OlasehindeKumuyi, was bribed with N50 million to rectify the names submitted to him by Governor OlusegunMimiko, as panel members.”at the party will not accept the recommendations of the panel set up by the Chief Judge on allegations levelled against the State Deputy Governor,” Adesanya alleged.