Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, Ondo State Chief Judge, says the State House of Assembly did not complete the constitutional procedures that would enable her set up a seven-man probe panel against Agboola Ajayi, the embattled Deputy Governor of the state.
Ondo State House of Assembly had written the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man investigative panel to look into allegations of gross misconduct levied against Ajayi in order to pave way for his impeachment.
Akeredolu in her reply to the State Assembly request, quoted Section 188 sub sections 1,2,3,4 and 5 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the procedure for the impeachment of a state governor or the deputy.
In the letter dated July 9, 2020, she also listed all the items attached with the letter earlier sent to her by the House of Assembly.
“In view foregoing, the Hon. Members of the House of Assembly have not implemented the constitutional process that would lead your very good self to invite my humble self to set up a panel of 7 to investigate allegations of gross misconduct as stipulated in the Constitution,” Akeredolu wrote.
She further stated in her letter that she had also received a letter from Kayode Olatoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) which posited that the “matter of impeachment of the deputy governor is ‘sub-judice.”
“Furthermore, I wish to bring to your notice the copy of the letter which I received earlier today from Kayode Olatoke, SAN which letter tells me clearly that the matter of impeachment of Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, Deputy Governor of Ondo State is sub-judice,” the Chief Judge wrote.
Babatope Okeowo, Spokesperson to the Deputy governor said that the Ajayi had approached the court to protect his fundamental right of freedom of association.
Okeowo said his boss is being targeted because he defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC)to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“He filed the suit to protect his right that as a citizen of Nigeria he has the freedom of association to belong to any political party of his choice,” Okeowo said.
The spokesperson said the Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Political Matters, Victor Olabimtan had said “they would even take extrajudicial measures to ensure that the deputy governor is impeached for defecting to the PDP.”
“In fact the Special Adviser to the Governor, Victor Olabimtan said on radio they would use all means, both extrajudicial to ensure he is impeached for going to PDP from APC, he even said it in the radio,” Okeowo added.
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