It had been reported that the Deputy Governor on Monday, filed a suit delineated AK/348/2023 before the Ondo State High Court, seeking the court to halt the Ondo State House of Assembly from continuing with the impeachment proceedings against him.
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has denied being served with notice of gross misconduct by the State House of Assembly.
Aiyedatiwa said this in a press statement he released via his office on Monday, revealing that Hon Olatunji Oshati was lying when he claimed while appealing on Channels TV that the state lawmakers had sent a notice of gross misconduct to the state Deputy Governor.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to claims made by the Ondo State House of Assembly, through its member and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Honourable Olatunji Oshati, on national television to the extent that I have been served with notice of acts of gross misconduct.
“On Thursday, 21st September, 2023, Hon Olatunji Oshati was a guest on Channels Television Programme "Politics Today", where he stated that I have been served with notice of allegations of gross misconduct by the House of Assembly of Ondo State.
“His statement and television interview came after various news reports that the House of Assembly had, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, taken the decision to send a "letter of allegations of gross misconduct" to me, following a purported petition by some members of the House. Hon. Oshati also claimed that I have been given seven days to respond to the said allegations.
“It is pertinent to put on record that as at today, Monday, September 25, 2023, I have not received any official communication or any "letter of allegations of gross misconduct" from the Ondo State House of Assembly.
“I find it especially worrying that the spokesman of the House of Assembly would go on national television to speak on such matter without any evidence to show that such letter has been delivered to me. More disturbing is the fact that even when he was asked if the letter had been delivered, he gave no coherent answer.
“A sensitive constitutional matter of this nature; impeachment process should not be conducted on the pages of newspapers and television screens. “In effect, I reiterate that if such "letter of allegations of gross misconduct" against me exists, I have not seen it and I have not been served. I therefore urge Mr. Speaker, The Honourable Chief Judge of Ondo State and members of the public to take note.”
It had been reported that the Deputy Governor on Monday, filed a suit delineated AK/348/2023 before the Ondo State High Court, seeking the court to halt the Ondo State House of Assembly from continuing with the impeachment proceedings against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
Aiyedatiwa in Originating Summons filed by his legal representative, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), listed as defendants; the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, the Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Ondo State.
The embattled deputy governor is asking the court for a declaration that the House of Assembly is not competent to proceed on his impeachment in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to fair hearing as his office, tenure and status as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State are creations and establishment of the Constitution by virtue of Sections 186 and 187 of the Constitution, Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and the same cannot be tampered with, altered, shortened, withdrawn or jeopardized by the Defendants except and in a manner permitted by law.