There had been reports that the Deputy Governor had sued the Ondo State High Court on Monday under the case number AK/348/2023, asking the court to stop the Ondo State House of Assembly from carrying out the impeachment process against him.
The State House of Assembly has not delivered a notice of gross misconduct to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor of Ondo State.
In a press release issued through his office on Monday, Aiyedatiwa made this claim and exposed the dishonesty of Hon. Olatunji Oshati, who had stated during an appeal on Channels TV that the state lawmakers had forwarded a complaint of gross misconduct to the state Deputy Governor.
My attention has been drawn to claims made on national television by the Ondo State House of Assembly, via its member and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Honorable Olatunji Oshati, that I have been served with notice of acts of gross misconduct.
Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor of Ondo, disputes receiving a notice of gross misconduct from the state assembly.During his appearance on the Channels Television program “Politics Today” on Thursday, September 21, 2023, Hon. Olatunji Oshati announced that he had received notice of allegations of gross misconduct from the Ondo State House of Assembly.
“His remarks and the television appearance followed many news reports stating that, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, the House of Assembly decided to issue me a “letter of allegations of egregious misconduct” in response to an alleged petition by some House members. Additionally, Hon. Oshati asserted that I had seven days to address the aforementioned charges.
As of today, Monday, September 25, 2023, I have not gotten any official correspondence or “letter of allegations of gross misconduct” from the Ondo State House of Assembly. This is important to note.
“I find it particularly concerning that the House of Assembly spokesman would discuss this topic on national television in the absence of any proof that the letter was handed to me. Even more unsettling is the fact that he was unable to provide a meaningful response when asked if the letter had been delivered.
“This is a delicate constitutional issue; the impeachment process ought not to take place on the pages of newspapers and television shows.”To be clear, I have not seen the “letter of allegations of gross misconduct” that has been made against me, and I have not been served. I thus implore the people, Mr. Speaker, and the Honorable Chief Judge of Ondo State to take notice.
According to reports, the Deputy Governor filed suit number AK/348/2023 with the Ondo State High Court on Monday, asking the court to put an end to the Ondo State House of Assembly’s impeachment proceedings against him while the matter was heard and decided.
The Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Clerk of the Ondo State House of Assembly, and the Chief Judge of Ondo State were named as defendants by Aiyedatiwa in the Originating Summons filed by his legal representative, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN).
In violation of his constitutional and fundamental rights to a fair trial, the beleaguered deputy governor is requesting a declaration from the court that the House of Assembly lacks the authority to proceed with his impeachment. He argues that his position, tenure, and status as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State are creations and establishments of the Constitution by virtue of Sections 186 and 187 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended), and that they cannot be tampered with, altered, withdrawn, or jeopardized by the Defendants unless and until authorized by law.
