Ondo crisis deepens as Assembly begins impeachment process against Deputy gov

Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the controversial deputy governor of Ondo state, may be impeached shortly by the state House of Assembly for suspected egregious misconduct.

According to a trustworthy source, some parliamentarians have signed the impeachment notice against the deputy governor.

The presence of strong security forces at the Assembly gate on Tuesday was an indication of this, as was an emergency plenary session called by the assembly leadership.

Source told newsmen that the deputy governor is under investigation for alleged gross misuse of office.

It was alleged that Aiyedatiwa while he was the acting governor, following the medical vacation of the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, he reportedly approved N300 million for the purchase of a bulletproof SUV for his personal use.

Recall that the governor travelled to Germany for medical treatment for three months.

Aiyedatiwa was alleged to have ordered the N300 million to be sourced from the Palliative fund, which was from the Federal government to the state in order to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Recall that the governor had sacked all the media aides attached to the deputy governor over alleged insubordination.

Rumours of the underground plot to impeach the deputy governor were rife after the sack of his aides by the governor.

However, this development was coming days after the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji, dismissed that there was a plot to impeach the deputy governor.

Oladiji said that ” there’s no underground plot to impeach the deputy governor.

” There is nothing like that, you know the social media can write anything they like, but it is not true.

” Nothing like that is going on. As I am talking to you, I’m in Abuja for the Speakers’ conference. So, there is nothing like that.”

Corroborating the Speaker, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said the rumour should be ignored.

“Nobody is plotting any move to impeach the deputy governor.

” We are busy with what will bring development to the state. What is of importance to us is to carry out our duties.

Recall that a few days after the sack of the deputy governor’s aides, his resignation letter went viral on social media.

But in a swift response, the deputy governor denied resigning his position.

Aiyedatiwa in a statement issued and personally signed by him in Akure, the state capital, denied a purported pre-signed resignation letter said to be circulating in the public domain.

According to him ” My attention has been drawn to a rumour of a purported pre-signed
resignation letter, signed by me, being circulated in the public domain.

“I wish to state that I, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the Deputy Governor of Ondo
State have not, do not intend and will not sign/author any letter resigning my position as the duly elected Deputy Governor in a joint ticket with my principal the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN,CON.

” I took an oath the day I was sworn in along with Mr. Governor on February
24th, 2021 to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on a
four (4) year mandate which terminates in February 23rd, 2025.

” I remain loyal to my Principal and I stand by the oath I took with the Bible to run the full cycle of the four year tenure with Mr. Governor.

He added that ” To this end I urge the people of Ondo State, the State Assembly and the general public to disregard such letter now and in the future.

The Chairman, House committee on information, Hon.Olatunji Oshati Emmanuel, could not be reached for comment as the plenary was still on as at the time of filling in the report.

Also, government officials kept mum on the development in the assembly.

Aides to the deputy governor denied the allegation of the purchase of vehicle by their boss while acting as the deputy governor.

According to one of his aides, ” they’re are just looking for excuses. But they will fail because they’ve always failed in all their efforts to bring the deputy governor down.

(Vanguard)

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