September 25, (THEWILL) – Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approached the Ondo State High Court to stop the State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment process against him, pending the hearing and determination of the suit that he has filed in court.
The Ondo Assembly, last week, wrote to Aiyedatiwa to answer issues raised in a petition signed by nine lawmakers.
The petition included inquiries into Aiyedatiwa’s attempt to procure a bulletproof vehicle for the sum of N300 million during Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s medical absence.
Aiyedatiwa, in a Suit No. AK/348/2023, which he filed at the High Court in Akure, on Monday, 25th September, 2023, through his lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa (SAN), is seeking the following reliefs:
A declaration that the House of Assembly is not competent to proceed with his impeachment in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to a fair hearing.
A declaration that the sacking of his media aides and subjecting him to the Ministry of Information, headed by a Commissioner, amounts to a breach of his rights and privileges as a Deputy Governor.
A declaration that his office, tenure, status, rights and privileges are protected, guaranteed and secured by the Constitution.
A declaration that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations as a Deputy Governor of Ondo State by the House of Assembly, he is entitled to a fair hearing and that given the utterances and conduct of the House of Assembly so far, there is a likelihood of bias against him as the Governor in the impeachment process.
That in conducting media trials against him as the Deputy Governor without serving him with any notice of gross misconduct, the House Assembly has constituted itself into accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge.
He then sought an order of injunction to stop the House of Assembly from initiating, continuing or proceeding with the process of his removal from office as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
He is also seeking an order to stop the Chief Judge of Ondo State from accepting or acting upon any request from the House of Assembly of Ondo State to set up any panel to investigate any acts of gross misconduct against him.
Aiyedatiwa named as defendants in the suit the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, the Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Ondo State.
In the affidavit in support of the originating summons, it was stated that the House of Assembly embarked upon a media trial of the Deputy Governor purely to scandalise him and to incite public opinion against him, when indeed no notice of acts of alleged gross misconduct was served on him.
It is stated further that the House of Assembly is persecuting the Deputy Governor without lawful basis in conspiracy with certain persons, who are gladiators in political circles. All attempts made to serve the court processes on the House of Assembly have so far been rebuffed, as policemen at the gate denied access to the court bailiff and also the counsel from the office of solicitors to the Claimant.
It narrated the loyalty of the Deputy Governor since he assumed office in the face of the health challenges of the Governor and how he led the entire State in prayers for the recovery of the Governor. The Deputy Governor denied any act of wrongdoing, stating that he has been loyal to the Governor all through their tenure.
In a letter dated September 25, 2023, from the Chambers of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN and Co. and delivered to the office of the Chief Judge of Ondo State, copies of the Court processes were duly attached for the information of the Chief Judge.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
