VAM News update

THE Ondo State House of Assembly has stated that the apology tendered by the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, won’t stop his impeachment process.

VAM News reports that Aiyedatiwa had apologised to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for the political crisis in the state and equally pledged his loyalty to him.

However, speaking on the apology tendered by the deputy governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Olamide Oladiji, said that the apology of the deputy governor “is not a concern of the assembly.”

“The apology is a personal issue between the deputy governor and the governor, not a concern of the 26 members of the state assembly.” Oladiji said.

Also speaking, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said: “It is not true that the Assembly members are divided over Aiyedatiwa’s impeachment.

“Some people are trying to play politics to divide the lawmakers, but we remain united in the decision to probe and impeach the deputy governor.

“The House is in order, though some people are trying to play politics to divide us, it is not possible. The House is not divided.”

Meanwhile, Mr Aiyedatiwa, yesterday, asked Justice Emeka Nwite to hands off the suit he filed to stop his impeachment process.

Aiyedatiwa, through his team of lawyers led by Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, urged the judge to suspend the proceedings before him, insisting that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal is now seized of the facts of the case.

He told the court that both the Speaker of the Assembly and the legislative house itself, who were cited as 4th and 6th defendants in the matter, went before the appellate court to set aside the interim order that stopped his planned impeachment.

“The 4th and 6th defendants went on appeal, four days after the matter was adjourned for ruling. They said they no longer have confidence in the court.

“Since the matter is already before the Court of Appeal, going ahead with this proceeding will put this court on a collision course with a superior authority.

“The defendants cannot approbate and reprobate. The appeal will impact the proceedings of this court and as Ministers in the temple of justice; the defendants owe this court the sacred duty of full disclosure of any development that may affect the jurisdiction of the court.

“It was their duty to have brought the attention of the court to the fact that the appeal was entered on October 20. It is their action that robs this court of its jurisdiction.

“It will be neater and better to hands off and allow the appellate court to determine the matter,” Aiyedatiwa’s lawyer pleaded.

However, all the defendants, through their respective lawyers, urged Justice Nwite to decline Aiyedatiwa’s request and proceed with ruling on applications they filed to vacate the ex-parte order the court made on September 26, which halted the impeachment process.

Governor Akeredolu, who is the 3rd defendant in the matter, through his counsel, Mr Kassim Gbadamosi, accused Aiyedatiwa of subtly attempting to arrest the ruling of the court.

After he had listened to all the parties, Justice Nwite fixed November 17 for ruling.