Embattled Ondo State Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa yesterday lost a bid to stall his impeachment by the House of Assembly.
The Federal High Court in Abuja rejected his request for an indefinite adjournment of his case challenging the impeachment.
In a ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed Aiyedatiwa’s application for indefinite adjournment of his suit, pending the outcome of the intervention in the crisis by the peace committee set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconcile him and his principal, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The court fixed October 30 to hear all pending applications by parties in the case.
However, anti-Akeredolu protests began yesterday at the Ondo State secretariat of the opposition Peoples Democratic (PDP) in Akure by youths who vowed to continue the demonstration until the governor return to the state.
The governor fired back, saying that he was in charge of the affairs of the state.
Akeredolu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, warned the PDP against sensationalism.
Aiyedatiwa, through his lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), had urged the court to suspend proceedings in the case indefinitely, pending when the National Judicial Council (NJC) would dispenses with a petition written against Justice Nwite by the Ondo State House of Assembly.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, held that it was in the interest of justice for the court to hear the suit.
The judge added that it was improper to grant indefinite adjournment because there are other political parties, whose members are in the House of Assembly.
He noted that lawyers to the defendants have also indicated that they were not interested in the reconciliatory effort.
Following the ruling, the court heard from lawyers to parties on how they would proffer the court to proceed.
After listening to the lawyers’ different suggestions, Justice Nwite ruled that he will hear all pending applications on October 30.
He said the court will hear the notice of preliminary objection filed by Akeredolu and the counter-affidavit filed by Aiyedatiwa.
The judge also agreed to hear, on the next day, an application filed by the House of Assembly and its Speaker challenging the jurisdiction of the court, along with a motion for a stay of the execution of the interim orders made by the court on September 26, stopping further impeachment action against Aiyedatiwa.
