Oyo Assembly seeks panel to investigate petitions against dep gov

• Court adjourns impeachment proceedings till July 26
• Adedibu debunks rumours of aggrieved members defecting to APC

Oyo State House of Assembly has directed the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate allegation of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan.

This followed a motion jointly moved, yesterday, during the plenary by the Majority Leader, Sanjo Onaolapo (Ogbomoso South) and Akintunde Olajide (Lagelu) and was approved by the House.

The Assembly directed the panel to report its findings within three months.

MEANWHILE, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, yesterday, fixed July 26, 2022 for judgment in a matter brought before it by Olaniyan.

Justice Ladiran Akintola fixed the date after hearing counsel’s originating summons and interlocutory injunctions on the propriety of impeachment proceedings embarked upon by the House.

The court also, yesterday, rejected an application by the lawmaker representing Oorelope Constituency, Lateef Adebunmi, seeking to be joined in the suit as the fourth co-defendant.

The court earlier rejected the application for an adjournment of the matter by the claimant’s counsel, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), on the ground that the House of Assembly in an obvious disregard to subsisting status quo order had directed the state Chief Judge, to set up an investigative panel for Olaniyan.

IN another development, the lawmaker representing Iwajowa Constituency in the Assembly, Hakeem Adedibu, has described as untrue the rumours making the rounds that eight lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that could not secure the party’s tickets for a second term were planning to defect to another party.

Adedibu, who is also the Chief Whip of the House, while speaking on behalf of others, debunked the rumours under personal explanation.

He said that though he and the other seven members would not be returning to the House in 2023, there is no plan by them to leave the ruling PDP in Oyo State.

Adedibu urged members of the public to disregard the unfounded rumour.