.Youths back Ondo Assembly on Aiyedatiwa’s impeachment

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, fixed October 16 to rule on the application filed by the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to withdraw the case instituted against the state House of Assembly, and others.

Aiyedatiwa had, in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, sued the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services, the governor of Ondo State; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Ondo State, and the House of Assembly.

He had sought an order of interim injunction restraining Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his servants, or privies from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing, and preventing him from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of the state.

The court granted his prayers and adjourned the matter till October 9.
At the proceedings, yesterday, the counsel for the deputy governor, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, told the court that the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, set up a Reconciliation Committee on October 6, 2023, to mediate in the dispute between some of the parties to the suit.

He added that going ahead with the court proceedings could affect the party’s efforts.

Responding, counsel for the Ondo State governor, Kazeem Gbadamosi, and the Chief Judge, Mutalib Ojo, respectively, urged the court to go ahead with the case, adding that the issue of jurisdiction must first be determined by the court.

In his submission, the counsel for the Assembly, Femi Emodamori, said the Ondo Assembly had, on October 6, written a letter and affidavit to the NJC, withdrawing the petition.

Meanwhile, youths, under the aegis of Concerned Citizens of Ondo State, have urged members of the state House of Assembly not to abandon their duties as a result of pressure in the ongoing process to impeach the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The youths, in their hundreds, gathered at the entrance to the Assembly yesterday, expressing dismay at attempts to manipulate the judiciary in order to allegedly influence proceedings by the Legislature.

In the past few weeks, the state has witnessed a surge in protests as a result of the move to impeach Aiyedatiwa, who is faced with 14 allegations levelled against him by the Assembly.

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as “Justice Must Prevailed,” “Lawmakers Should Be Allowed to Do Their Jobs,” “We Need Justice on Public Funds,” and “Ondo State People Are Solidly Behind You,” the protesters, led by Raymond Oluwafunso, emphasised that the lawmakers are accountable to the people, hence the need to continue with the impeachment process.

According to Oluwafunso, all that the people of the state want is justice, and the lawmakers must be allowed to do their jobs without any form of intimidation.