The Ondo State House of Assembly has decided to proceed with the impeachment process against Deputy Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa despite a court injunction. The Assembly is intensifying Aiyedatiwa’s impeachment process.
The Speaker of the House, Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, stated that they would ensure they proceed with the legislative process to a logical conclusion strictly in line with constitutional procedures. “We are not deterred by the court injunction. We will ensure that we follow the legislative process to a logical conclusion strictly in line with constitutional procedures,” Adesanmi said
In the petition addressed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and signed by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, the Ondo Assembly accused Justice Emeka Nwite of allegedly compromising his office and violating the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the petition, the parliamentarians alleged that Justice Nwite had “heavily compromised his office to grant an unconstitutional ex parte order” in favor of the embattled Deputy Governor.
The petition read, “As the Speaker of the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly, and on behalf of the entire members of the House of Assembly (hereinafter referred to as ‘ODHA’), I write to formally lodge a complaint against Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court. He compromised his office and violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), ignoring the judicial decisions of the appellate courts and relevant practice directions and circulars of the Federal High Court. He granted an unconstitutional, clearly malicious, and seemingly procured ex parte order on September 26, 2023, in Suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, restraining ODHA, as a government arm, from exercising its constitutional powers.”
The House recalled that in September 2023, eleven members of the Ondo State Assembly submitted a notice of allegations of gross misconduct (impeachment notice) against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, to the Speaker. This action was in accordance with Section 188(2)(a) and (b) of the Constitution.
The notice, referred to as Annexure ODHA, contained 14 allegations, many of which were related to alleged financial improprieties amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.
The Speaker also mentioned that the Deputy Governor had erred by approaching the court to stop his impeachment process. “The Deputy Governor erred by approaching the court to stop his impeachment process,” Adesanmi added.