Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, chief judge of Ondo state, has
rejected the request of the Ondo state house of assembly to set up a probe
panel against Agboola Ajayi, deputy governor of the state, over allegations of
gross misconduct.
In a letter dated July 7, Bamidele Oleyelogun, speaker of
the assembly, asked the chief judge to constitute a seven-man panel to probe
Ajayi.
“It is in line with the above that request that you set up a
seven-man panel to conduct the investigation as resolved by the honourable
house and the panel shall, as soon as possible, report back to the House,” part
of the letter read.
But Akeredolu in her response to the letter rejected the
request on the grounds that two-third majority as required by the 1999
constitution for setting up of such a probe panel was not formed in the
assembly.
The chief judge also said she had received a letter from
Ajayi’s lawyers stating that the process of impeachment was sub judice.
Nine of the lawmakers had written to Akeredolu dissociating
themselves from the ongoing plot to remove the deputy governor.
The lawmakers are Iroju Ogundeji, Jamiu Maito, Raaheed
Elegbeleye, Tomide Akinribido, Samuel Ademola, Favour Semilore, Festus
Akingbaso, Williams Adekunle and Success Torhukerhijo.
“Kindly be informed that nine under-listed elected
Honourable members of Ondo State House of Assembly have duly dissociated
ourselves from the ongoing impeachment process of the Deputy Governor of Ondo
State, H.E.( Hon.) Agboola Alfred Ajayi in a letter dated 7th July 2020 to the
Clerk and the Clerk and the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Ondo State House of
Assembly, herewith attached,” the letter read.
“We want to state and confirm to your good office that we
maintain our stand by dissociating ourselves from the impeachment process. We
are not in support of the impeachment based on our individual personal
conviction.
“We rest assured that your Lordship will uphold Section 188
of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)
particularly Section 188 (3) (4) (5) – (11).
“It is equally worthy of note that the total membership of
Ondo state House of Assembly is 26 in which 2/3 is 18 and this remains the
constitutionally required number irrespective of any arbitrary suspension.
“We are writing to call your attention to the fact that all
or some of us who are signatories to this letter may be suspended in order to
circumvent the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, which we all swore to
uphold and protect, including your honourable Lordship, as this will be
contrary to the laws of the land.”
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