The Ondo State House of Assembly says it has not suspended the impeachment process against the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati, had on Friday, said the House halted the impeachment process after the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, communicated to the lawmakers on his inability to constitute a panel to investigate the allegation against Aiyedatiwa, following a court order.

However, the House, in a statement issued by its lawyer, Femi Emodamori, on Saturday, October 14, 2023, stated that it had not suspended the process, saying it would pursue it to a logical conclusion.

The lawyer noted: “Impeachment is a constitutional process clearly outlined in section 188 (1)-(11) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and our client has meticulously complied with all the stages leading up to the obligation placed on the state Chief Judge to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations, as stipulated in Section 188(5) of the Constitution.

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“The House reaffirmed that it has not ‘suspended’ the impeachment process as inaccurately reported, and will carry same through to a logical conclusion in order to determine the veracity or otherwise of the monumental allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor.

“His lordship, however, stated that as a Chief Judge, he would prefer that the ex parte order, which his lordship believes ‘tied his hand’, should first be vacated or set aside. The chief judge obviously prefers to err on the side of caution.”

The House had, on September 20, commenced the impeachable process of the deputy governor over alleged gross misconduct.

The lawmakers accused Aiyedatiwa of being involved in some acts of gross misconduct while in office as the acting governor.

He served as the acting governor while his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu, left for medical treatment abroad.

The Star