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Ondo Chief Judge raises panel on move to impeach deputy gov

By Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau Ado Ekiti)
24 April 2015   |   1:21 am
ONDO State’s Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, yesterday constituted a seven-man panel in Akure, the capital, to look into allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the deputy governor, Alhaji Alli Olanusi, by the House of Assembly.
Olanusi

Olanusi

ONDO State’s Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, yesterday constituted a seven-man panel in Akure, the capital, to look into allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the deputy governor, Alhaji Alli Olanusi, by the House of Assembly.

In his response to the Assembly’s directive to do so following an impeachment notice served on Olanusi earlier in the week, the Chief Judge, in a letter dated April 23, 2015 said: “in line with the provision of section 188(5) of the Constitution of Federal Republic Of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I have set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations against the Deputy Governor as required by the constitution.”

Members of the panel are a retired Chief Magistrate Mr. Olatunji Stanley Adeniyan (chairman), Mr. Aladesanmi Akingbade, Mr. Ademola Ekundayo, Ven. Richard Obafemi, Mr Abraham Kola Mathew, Alhaji Ibrahim Shodeinde and Mrs. Eunice Yinka Obadele.

The lawmakers hinged their decision to impeach the deputy governor on allegations of gross misconduct, financial misappropriation, absenteeism (from official duties) and causing political disaffection in the cabinet of the state government .

The impeachment notice signed by 20 of the 26 lawmakers was announced by the Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, after the clerk, read seven allegations against the deputy governor.

Majority Leader of the House Ifedayo Akinsoyinu moved the motion that the notice be served on the deputy governor. The motion was seconded by Hon. Adeyinka Banso from Akoko North West 2.

The speaker thus ruled that Olanusi be served the notice personally, through his office, pasted on his residence and through a national daily, a decision which got a unanimous yes from all the lawmakers present.

Addressing newsmen after the sitting, chairman of House committee on Information, Kunle Olujuyigbe, assured that the Assembly would follow due process and allow the deputy governor respond to all the allegations against him.

Meanwhile, the state government has said that the impeachment process was a constitutional matter which the Executive was not prepared to dabble into.

The clarification was a reaction to a claim that Olanusi had sought the Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s permission to travel abroad.

Olanusi’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) while reacting to the impeachment notice served on him on Tuesday claimed he had traveled overseas on Saturday, April 18 with the knowledge of the governor. Hence, he would not be able to react to the impeachment notice, it stated.

However, the deputy governor was quoted to have spoken with the media in Lagos on Tuesday April 21, saying that he was not aware of any impeachment notice served on him.

Information Commissioner Kayode Akinmade said the state government would not interfere with the impeachment process as it was strictly a constitutional matter being handled by the Assembly..

He went on: “Those who claimed the deputy governor left the country on the 18th may actually be speaking for themselves because he still spoke with the media from Lagos on Tuesday and should be in Ode-Irele on Wednesday (yesterday) on official assignment since he couldn’t have traveled out of the country without Mr. Governor’s permission.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday alleged that the opposition was shopping for a judge to manipulate the impeachment process and procure an illegal injunction to stall the move.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Banji Okunmo in Akure, the PDP said said some APC members also “ at a meeting in Lagos decided that in line with its penchant for propaganda, agreed to begin to churn out false information about the state government , the State House of Assembly and its members in order to discredit the system and the process of the impeachment.”

To this end, the party also alleged that “the understanding of a GSM service provider which will assist in disseminating false information about the impeachment process in order to discredit it,” has been secured.

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