The Ondo State House of Assembly has revealed a list of 14 allegations of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa amid ongoing impeachment proceedings.
This development follows a motion raised by the House of Assembly last week, serving notice of the allegations to the deputy governor and providing him with seven days to respond.
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The notice, signed by 11 members out of the 26 members of the State House of Assembly, invokes the provisions of section 188 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The allegations against Deputy Governor Aiyedatiwa are grouped into:
- Gross misconduct.
- Abuse of office with actions likely to bring down the Ondo State government.
- Financial recklessness.
- Publications in print media by media aides maligning the credibility of the governor.
In response to these allegations, the House of Assembly had earlier directed the chief judge, Olusegun Odusola, to establish a seven-member panel of inquiry to investigate the charges against the deputy governor.
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A constitutional lawyer in the state, Femi Emodamori, has supported the Assembly’s move to set up a panel to investigate the allegations. However, he emphasized the importance of appointing individuals of unquestionable integrity to serve on the panel. Emodamori highlighted that the allegations against the deputy governor are serious, and those making the claims will need to provide evidence to substantiate them.
Regarding Deputy Governor Aiyedatiwa’s legal actions, Emodamori noted that rushing to court for an injunction before being served the notice of allegations could be seen as an abuse of the judicial process. He emphasized that the proper body to hear his case is the panel to be constituted by the Chief Judge.
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Impeachment processes can be politically charged, but Emodamori stressed the importance of upholding the law throughout the proceedings.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the impeachment proceedings will progress and whether the allegations will be substantiated during the panel’s investigation.
