Impeachment: Succession fueling Akeredolu, dep gov’s rift — Aiyedatiwa’s counsel
•It’s not true —Gov’s aide
•14 sins of Aiyedatiwa —Assembly
•Stop intimidating lawmakers —Ondo youths
•Allow assembly perform its role —Ex-lawmakers
By Dayo Johnson
AMID the impeachment process by the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Ige Asemudara, counsel to the embattled deputy governor of the state, yesterday, disclosed that the frosty relationship between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his estranged Deputy, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was about succession and the governorship election in 2024.
This came as the House of Assembly vowed to go ahead with the impeachment of the deputy governor, despite a court injunction halting the process.
But Asemudara, who featured on Channels TV’s Politics Today, accused some government officials of trying to oust the deputy.
The legal practitioner said: “One of the very serious issues we have in this country is abuse of legal process. In your introduction, you said maybe the political crisis in Ondo is about the next election. I can tell you this is not unconnected with the permutations of the November governorship election in Ondo State.
“There are several other issues. As we speak, the governor is not of sound health, so we should not be talking about impeaching him. They are just trying to pave the way for some sort of anarchy.
“The same elements in the state House of Assembly have refused to account for the oil derivation funds from the Federal Government. They fear that any Ilaje man close to government is not good for them.”
But, while responding, Doyin Odebowale, an aide to Governor Akeredolu, absolved the governor of controlling the members of the state assembly.
Odebowale said that many allegations against the deputy governor were not included in the impeachment notice.
Stop intimidating lawmakers—Ondo youths
Meanwhile, some youths, under the aegis of Concerned Youths and Citizens, CYC, in Ondo State, yesterday, carpeted Aiyedatiwa for allegedly intimidating the Assembly over the ongoing impeachment proceedings against him.
They urged him to respond to the allegations against him instead of raising unnecessary issues.
The group, which staged a protest to the Assembly, insisted that if found wanting, the deputy governor should be impeached.
Armed with placards bearing different inscriptions such as “We want peace in Ondo State”, “We no go gree” and “We say no to corruption,” the protesters warned against turning the state into a theatre of war.
Leader of the protesters, Mr Bright Eniafe said: “We are upset because the Deputy Governor, who is being accused of several allegations that he’s supposed to clear, has decided to put the state in jeopardy.
“The House of Assembly must carry out its constitutional duties, and if Ayedatiwa is found wanting, he must be impeached. It is disturbing that Ayedatiwa got about N350 million to help the good people of Ilaje, and he didn’t do anything other than share just bed and bread.
“One of our demands is that Ayedatiwa should stop the media trial; he should also stop an attempt to blackmail the legislative arm of government through a caricature injury.”
Assembly slams Aiyedatiwa with 14 allegations
Meanwhile, the Assembly has slammed the embattled deputy governor with 14 allegations.
Speaker of the assembly, Mr Olamide Oladiji, yesterday, signed a letter of notice of allegation against the deputy governor.
The letter, titled ‘Notice of allegation of gross misconduct against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Deputy Governor of Ondo State’, listed the 14 allegations against the embattled deputy governor.
They include among others: “That Lucky Aiyedatiwa engaged in press releases and interviews with some media outlets wherein false allegations were levied against the Governor about his health which amounts to an act of gross misconduct under the provision of the constitution.
“That Lucky Aiyedatiwa engaged in political conduct designed to undermine the office of the Governor by causing political disaffection and deliberately working at cross purpose with the Governor and the government by openly canvassing for the impeachment of the Governor following his medical vacation which amounts to an act of gross misconduct under the provisions of the Constitution.
“That Lucky Alyedatiwa engaged in political conduct designed to undermine the office of the Governor by causing a division among the Executive Council of the State to impeach the Governor during Mr Governor’s vacation which amounts to an act of misconduct under the provisions of the Constitution.
“That Lucky Aiyedatiwa acted in contravention of his Oath of office and abused the Code of Conduct for public officers by engaging in other businesses, thereby bringing the office of the Deputy Governor into disrepute.
“That Lucky Alyedatiwa on various dates, collected various sums of money to travel as follows: June 2023 (N4,685,000.00) and July 2023 (N3,006,000.00) when in fact, the said Lucky Aiyedatiwa did not travel on the said specified dates or did not travel at all, thereby unlawfully enriching himself and/or causing loss to the state government.
“That Lucky Aiyedatiwa purportedly spent N5,404,400.00 only to purchase tyres and batteries for the Deputy Governor’s convoy vehicles on January 19, 2023. This amount is supremely outrageous and amounts to a waste of government funds. The Deputy Governor used his position to enrich himself through unreasonable release of funds for his personal use. This amounts to an abuse of office and gross misconduct under the provision of the constitution.
“That Lucky Alyedatiwa deceitfully and falsely purchased an automatic transmission box of Lexus (armoured) SUV Staff car being the Acting Governor for N10,548,560.00 only which was collected at various dates as follows June 2023, N4,251,060.00 was released, and on August 14, 2023, another N6,297,500.00 was released for the same purpose. It is in doubt if the vehicle was repaired and placed on the road. This act amounts to corrupt practices and gross misconduct.
“That Lucky Aiyedatiwa collected N2,695,000.00, only to travel to Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas respectively February 10-14, 2023, thereby, unlawfully enriching himself and causing loss to the state government.
Allow assembly to perform constitutional role —Ex-lawmakers
Another set of former lawmakers in the state, yesterday, supported the role of the state assembly in probing the deputy governor.
The former lawmakers, in a statement by a former speaker, Mr Aderoboye, Taofik Mohammed, Tomide Akinribido, Kuti Towase, Toluwani Borokoni, Akintomide Akinrogunde, Gudu Felemu, Sulaiman Maito, Rashid Elegbeleye and Abiodun Ogunbi, said the assembly should be allowed to carry out its constitutional role.
The statement reads: “The constitution makes provision for the process of carrying out impeachment of the Governor or and the Deputy Governor as spelt out in Sections 188.
“The public should be aware that the process only starts from the house and the house will only act on the decision of the panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state. The outcome of the panel is what the house will base its decision on.
“The house, as of now, has only played its constitutional role by sending a notice of gross misconduct to the Deputy Governor, which itself does not constitute an impeachment.
“From the above, it is crystal clear that the house has acted within it is constitutional duty and with utmost dignity.”
Vanguard Media