Ondo Assembly Gathers Fresh Allegations Against Deputy Governor

By Ayodele Oni

Following public outcry over the allegation of a-N300 million request for an SUV vehicle, made against the Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Assembly has now withdrawn the charge.

In the notice containing the allegations served on the embattled Deputy governor on Monday, the N300 million request has been removed and substituted with gross misconduct.

Aiyedatiwa, had earlier on Monday  denied receiving any notice since the announcement by the House last week. The leadership of the Assembly confirmed that the notice would get to him on Monday.

The notice, served on the Deputy Governor through one of the civil servants in his office, omitted the allegation of purchase of N300m armoured SUV for his convoy from palliatives funds.

The lawmakers had been embarrassingly criticized by members of the public on the claim.

The Spokesman of the House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunji Oshati, had appeared on Channels Television last week, where he struggled to defend the armoured SUV allegation, while a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Dr. Doyin Odebowale, had gone on various radio and television stations to emphasize same baseless allegation.

According to some people, the allegation of armoured SUV purchase from palliatives funds was aimed at destroying the reputation of the Deputy Governor but after realizing it was a hard sell, they decided to abandon it and that may have accounted for why they couldn’t serve the notice since last week.

The notice, which does not mention anything about armoured SUV or palliatives funds, now contains 14 offences levelled against the Deputy Governor.

These include operation of departments under his office, alleged media attacks on the Governor, holding political meetings, dividing the cabinet, attempting to impeach the Governor and assaulting his wife on June 4, 2023 when the woman was not even in the country.

Aiyedatiwa has gone to Court to halt the impeachment move by the Assembly through his Counsel, Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN.