The Ondo State House of Assembly is determined to proceed with the impeachment process against the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa. This decision comes despite a lawsuit filed by Aiyedatiwa in an attempt to halt the impeachment proceedings.
The Deputy Governor had sought an injunction from the Akure High Court to prevent the House of Assembly from advancing with the impeachment plans.
In an official statement released and signed by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, the lawmakers emphasized their commitment to fulfilling their constitutional duty of holding elected public officials accountable.They cited serious allegations of corruption and abuse of power against the Deputy Governor as the driving force behind their actions.
The House justified its stance by referring to a legal precedent, the case of Abaribe V. Abia State House of Assembly (2022) 14 NWLR (Pt. 788) 466. In this case, the Court of Appeal emphasized that it was premature for the appellant to rush to the court to halt the impeachment process on grounds of alleged breach of fair hearing when the panel to investigate and hear him had not been constituted.
The House also noted that according to Section 188 (10) of the Constitution, no court has the jurisdiction to interfere in legislative impeachment proceedings at such an early stage.
In response to Aiyedatiwa’s legal actions, the House has instructed its legal team to investigate the injunction obtained by the Deputy Governor. They intend to report any judicial officer found to have granted an unconstitutional ex-parte injunction to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary measures.