The Ondo State House of Assembly has finally served the embattled deputy governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a with his impeachment notice.
The deputy governor received the notice on Monday, through the spokesperson of the House of Assembly, Olatunji Oshati.
Mr Oshati had claimed last week on a national TV programme that Mr Aiyedatiwa had been served with the impeachment notice.
The notice, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, was signed by 11 out of the 26 lawmakers that make up the assembly.
The ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress(APC), has majority seats in the House with 22 seats while the PDP has four seats.
According to the notice signed by the Speaker, Oladiji Adesanmi, the allegations against the deputy governor are gross misconduct and abuse of office with actions likely to bring down the Ondo State government.
Other allegations are financial recklessness and publications in print media by the media aides of the deputy governor maligning the credibility of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The House said relying on the provision of Section 188(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the deputy governor should be served a copy of the notice for him to respond to the allegations contained therein.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor, on Monday, sued the House of Assembly on the planned impeachment against him.
Mr Aiyedatiwa, in the suit filed by his lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, (SAN) in the High Court of Akure, specifically sought some orders essentially to restrain the House from impeaching him.
The deputy governor is seeking a declaration from the court that the State House of Assembly lacks the competence to proceed with his impeachment, arguing that such proceedings violate his constitutional and fundamental rights to a fair hearing.
The deputy governor said the removal of his media aides and their placement under the Ministry of Information and Orientation led by a Commissioner by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is a breach of his rights and privileges as the Deputy Governor.
Besides, the deputy governor is also seeking a declaration affirming that his office, tenure, status, rights, and privileges are safeguarded by the Constitution.
Additionally, he is insisting on his entitlement to a fair hearing in the House of Assembly’s determination of his civil rights and obligations as the deputy governor of Ondo State.
In the suit, Mr Aiyedatiwa also raised concerns about potential bias against him in the impeachment process, citing the House of Assembly’s previous statements and actions, including conducting media trials without providing him prior notice of alleged misconduct.
Mr Aiyedatiwa is also seeking an order to stop the Chief Judge of Ondo State from accepting or acting upon any request from the Ondo State House of Assembly to set up any panel to investigate any acts of gross misconduct against him.
Essentially, Mr Aiyedatiwa is requesting the court to intervene by halting the impeachment proceedings until his claims are examined and adjudicated upon, ensuring that his rights and protections under the law are upheld throughout this legal process.
Named as defendants in the suit alongside the Ondo State House of Assembly are the Ondo State government, the Governor of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly, Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Clerk of the Ondo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of the state.
