Ondo Assembly backtracks, asks CJ to constitute panel to probe dep gov

The Ondo State House of Assembly, yesterday, issued a fresh directive to the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a seven-man investigation panel to probe the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the state deputy governor.

The directive came less than a week after the state assembly announced the suspension of the impeachment proceeding against Mr Aiyedatiwa following a truce meeting with the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in Abuja.

Ganduje, who waded into the crisis had also constituted a 9-member panel led by Aminu Bello Masari for reconciliation.

Daily Trust had reported that the state Chief Judge, Odunsola, had declined to set up an investigation panel to probe the 14 gross misconduct allegations slammed on the deputy governor despite an earlier request to do so by the assembly.

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On October 3, 2023, the assembly wrote the Chief Judge of the state to constitute the panel in line with section 188 of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

However, the CJ in a reply to the speaker of the house, Oladiji Olamide, with ref. no. CROD/1123/V.3/ dated October 6, 2023, cited Section 287 (3) of the constitution as the reason he could not act on the letter from the house, revealing that a Federal High Court had barred him from performing the function.

But yesterday, the assembly in a fresh letter addressed to the Chief Judge of the state, requested him to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor, following the expiration of the interim injunction of the Federal High Court in suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023 by operation of the law.

The letter signed by the speaker and issued by the counsel to the assembly, Femi Emodamori, reminded the Chief Judge of the earlier letter and his reply of October 6, 2023.