Aiyedatiwa files suit to stop Ondo Assembly from impeachment proceedings

The deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has initiated legal action by filing a suit at the Ondo State High Court, seeking to halt the State House of Assembly’s impeachment proceedings against him.

Aiyedatiwa urged the court to grant an injunction stopping the House of Assembly from initiating, continuing, or proceeding with the process of his removal from office as the deputy governor of Ondo state.

The Ondo Assembly, last week, wrote to Aiyedatiwa to answer issues raised in a petition signed by nine lawmakers.

The petition included inquiries into Aiyedatiwa’s attempt to procure a bulletproof vehicle for the sum of N300 million during Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s medical absence.

In the suit filed Monday, September 25, Aiyedatiwa is seeking a declaration that the House of Assembly was not competent to proceed with his impeachment in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to a fair hearing

He also sought a declaration that the sacking of his media aides and subjecting him to the Ministry of Information headed by a commissioner amounted to a breach of his rights and privileges as a deputy governor.

Aiyedatiwa prayed the court to declare that his office, tenure, status, rights, and privileges were protected, guaranteed, and secured by the Constitution.

He sought a declaration that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations as a deputy governor of Ondo state by the House of Assembly, he is entitled to a fair hearing and that given the utterances and conduct of the House of Assembly so far, there is likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process.

He said the Ondo Assembly constituted itself into an accuser, investigator, prosecutor, and judge by conducting media trials against him without serving him any notice of gross misconduct.

Aiyedatiwa further urged the court to stop the Chief Judge of Ondo state from accepting or acting upon any request from the House of Assembly of Ondo state to set up any panel to investigate any acts of gross misconduct against him.

The defendants in the suit filed by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, are the Ondo state government, the governor of Ondo state, the Ondo state House of Assembly, the speaker of Ondo state House of Assembly, the Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of Ondo State.

In an affidavit to support the originating summons, Aiyedatiwa stated that the media trial aimed to tarnish his image and manipulate public opinion against him, despite no formal notice of alleged gross misconduct being served upon him.

He also accused the House of Assembly of persecuting him without lawful basis in conspiracy with certain persons who are gladiators in political circles.

The deputy governor, who denied any act of wrongdoing, said he has been loyal to the governor all through their tenure.