Ondo Assembly begins impeachment proceedings against dep gov

ONDO State House of Assembly yesterday served impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, preferring seven-count allegations of gross misconduct against him.

Signed by 20 members of the assembly, the motion of notice was made in the floor of the house by the Majority Leader, Hon. Ifedayo Akinsoyinu and seconded by Hon. Yinka Banso, who is the Chairman House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, representing Akoko North West 1.

The lawmakers argued that their action was pursuant of the provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, emphasizing and urged the Speaker of the house, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele to start the impeachment process.

“We the undersigned members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, pursuant to our enabling powers under Section 188 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria hereby present to the Speaker the following allegations of gross misconduct against the
Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi,” the motion read.

The lawmakers accused him of perpetrating fraudulent activities with his younger brother, Alhaji Bola Olanusi, who is his Special Assistant to procure false local purchase order (LPO) with the knowledge of the Deputy Governor for a shoddy deal with Ehiso Resources International Limited.

Olanusi was accused of discrediting the Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in a press interview with a national newspaper (not The Guardian) dated April 18, 2015, which portrayed Mimiko as a person who aided and abetted crime against humanity in different capacities.

The Deputy Governor was accused of “truancy by regularly absenting himself from office, place of work and all other official engagements specifically on 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th of April and Monday 20th of April, 2015 without lawful excuse or authorization.”

The lawmakers also flayed him on the recent fracas between his security aides, whom they said, “caused his security aides to shoot indiscriminately at peaceful protesters along Fiwasaye/Oba Adesida Road in Akure thus creating panic, breakdown of law and order and general sense of insecurity within the state.”

Olanusi, who decamped to the opposition party barely 48 hours to the presidential elections, was accused of “causing political disaffection and deliberately working at cross purposes with the Governor,” purportedly trying to plot the impeachment of Mimiko immediately after the March 28 elections.

He was also accused of financial mismanagement and malfeasance, for “unlawfully enriching himself and/or causing loss to the state government” the total amount of N39, 289, 310 from 2009 to 2014 allocated for medical bill, under the pretence of travelling “when in actual fact, the said Alhaji Ali Olanusi did not travel on the said specific dates or did not travel at all, or did not expend the approved medical bills as appropriate.”

Speaking with journalists, the House Committee Chairman on Information, Youths and Sports, said the House followed the due process of the law by first writing a notice to the Speaker and later to the Deputy Governor, as clearly spelt out in the constitution.

Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has upheld the verdict of the returning officers for the April 11 Ondo Assembly elections for Ilaje 1 and 2 constituencies, which declared the PDP candidates winners.

INEC had then declared the result inconclusive premised on the report from the Returning Officer who claimed that he was forced to declare the result under duress despite some irregularities that reportedly marred the poll.‎

Ondo INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Segun Agbaje now said the commission would allow the declaration that the PDP candidates for Ilaje 1, Abayomi Akinruntan and Malachi Coker for Ilaje 2 won the elections in line with the 2010 electoral act as amended and 2015 elections approved guidelines.

According to Agbaje, “Since a candidate had been declared and returned as winner of the Ilaje (1) Constituency in the State House of Assembly Election held on 11th April, 2015 by the Returning Officer, the commission would allow the verdict to stay.