- CJ Rejects Assembly’s Request To Set Up Probe Panel
…As APCÂ Chairman Defects To PDP
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, has rejected a request letter from the state’s House of Assembly to set up a probe panel against the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, over allegation of gross misconduct.
Speaker of the Ondo Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, had on Thursday written to the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man panel to investigate Ajayi with the aim to impeach him from office.
“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.
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The Chief Judge, however, rejected the letter due to the inability of the Assembly members to follow the constitution to form the required quorum to impeach Ajayi.
She also noted that she had received a letter from Ajayi’s lawyers stating that the process of impeachment was sub judice.
“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’re 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.” the letter read.
The New Diplomat had earlier reported that 14 members of the Assembly had signed an impeachment notice against the deputy governor, listing seven allegations against him.
Nine other members of the Assembly had also written to the Speaker to distance themselves from the impeachment.
Recall that the deputy governor said on Wednesday that he was yet to receive the impeachment notice sent to him by the Assembly.
But the clerk of the house had also countered him that he served him the notice of impeachment.
Meanwhile, Samuel Olorunwa, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo state, has resigned his membership of the party.
It was learnt that Olorunwa tendered his resignation at the party secretariat on Friday and announced he has joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It was also gathered the former APC chairman is an ally of Ajayi, deputy governor of the state who recently defected from the APC to the PDP.
Ajayi is at loggerheads with Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the state, and has since indicated interest to run against Akeredolu in October.
