Ondo Dep Gov’s Impeachment Stalled as CJ Cites Court Order

Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, yesterday, declined to set up a panel to probe the allegation of gross misconduct against the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, citing a court order.

The Assembly had directed the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man panel within seven days to probe the deputy governor.

Confirming this to newsmen, Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said that due process would be followed in the impeachment of the deputy governor.

Ogunmolasuyi said: “The House would respect the law and due process would be followed on the matter.

“No matter the hindrance, we are going to follow process.”

The Chief Judge had intimated the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Olamide Oladiji of his inability to carry out the directive of the assembly until the order of an Abuja Federal High Court, which stopped the impeachment process against the deputy governor, was vacated.

The Chief Judge’s position was communicated to the speaker following the seven-day expiration deadline handed down to him by the assembly on Tuesday.

An Assembly member, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said the Chief Judge has advised the Speaker “to muster concerted efforts to vacate the order of the Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, as an irreducible precondition for him to obey the Assembly’s directive.

”The CJ has reached out to Mr Speaker that he cannot set up a 7-member panel to probe the deputy governor as directed by the House, claiming that his hands are tied by the interim order issued by Justice Emeka Nwite, stopping the impeachment process.”

Recall that the Assembly, at its plenary on October 3, ordered the Chief Judge to set up a 7-member panel to investigate 14 allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor within seven days.