By Temidayo Akinsuyi
Embattled deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is making last-minute efforts to halt his removal from office by the Ondo State House of Assembly.
After organising protests against his impeachment which failed to achieve the needed results, credible sources in Ondo Government House informed QUEST TIMES that, Aiyedatiwa has resolved to beg his principal, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for forgiveness while also pledging loyalty to the government.
Our correspondent gathered that some party leaders and associates of the deputy governor told him to adopt the strategy employed by his counterpart in Edo state, Phillip Shaibu who is also having a frosty relationship with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Shaibu who was also facing an impeachment threat and was kicked out of his office in the Government House to an inconsequential location publicly apologised to Obaseki last week. The governor responded saying he has accepted his apology.
Our source said Aiyedatiwa has already met Akeredolu in Ibadan where he has been since returning from a medical trip in Germany and pleaded for forgiveness.
“The governor however told him he can’t interfere in the duties of the House of Assembly as they are an independent body”.
Undaunted, Aiyedatiwa was also said to have approached a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), who co-owns a law firm, Olujimi & Akeredolu (O&A) with the Ondo state governor.
“He actually went to beg Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, in Ibadan. He also planned to send some traditional rulers in his Ilaje region to Ibadan to go and see the governor. But I don’t think all that will yield any positive result. His fate is already sealed”.
On September 19, the state House of Assembly announced that it had commenced impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor’
Aiyedatiwa however alleged that instead of serving him with the purported notice of acts of gross misconduct, the House of Assembly allegedly illegally convened a plenary session on September 20 to deliberate on the notice which had not been served, thus violating the process of removal as outlined in section 188 of the Constitution and also infringing upon his constitutional and fundamental rights as the Deputy Governor.