Impeachment: Ondo Deputy Governor Seeks Court Protection

By Ayodele Oni

Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is clinging to the Judiciary to save his job as he asked the Ondo State High Court to stop the State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him.

This is pending the hearing and determination of the suit that he filed in court.

In Suit No. AK/348/2023 filed at the High Court in Akure on Monday, September 25, 2023, the Deputy Governor is seeking a declaration that the House of Assembly is not competent to proceed on his impeachment in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to fair hearing.

He claimed 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.

Aiyedatiwa is also seeking a declaration that his office, tenure, status, rights and privileges are protected, guaranteed and secured by the Constitution.

According to him, the 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 likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process.

“In conducting media trials against him without serving him with any notice of gross misconduct, the House Assembly has constituted itself into accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge.”

Aiyedatiwa then sought orders 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 also seeks 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 the Deputy Governor.

Named as defendants in the suit filed by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN are the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly, Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of Ondo State.