CRISIS IN ONDO STATE RULING ALL PROGRESS CONGRESS, APC, is further getting to the head. It has shifted from Government House, between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, to the State House of Assembly. There are, already, moves to impeach the deputy governor. Nine out of the 26-member House of Assembly have dissociated themselves from the planned impeachment of the State’s Deputy Governor.
The impeachment logjam is, already, producing causalities. Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Jamiu Maito has resigned. Maito’s resignation letter was read by the Clerk of the House, Bode Adeyelu, Wednesday, during plenary. The House set up a committee to investigate alleged violation of standard rule of the house by Maito. This led to arguments in the chamber and abrupt end of the session.
Another development was the suspension of two lawmakers for alleged “unruly behaviour”. The affected lawmakers are Iroji Ogundeji, Deputy Speaker; and Adewale Williams, member of the House. Ogundeji is one of the lawmakers that dissociated themselves from the moves to impeach the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.
Nine lawmakers that dissociated themselves from the Deputy Governor’s impeachment process are Iroju Ogundeji, Jamiu Maito, Rasheed Elegbeleye, Tomide Akinribido, Samuel Ademola, Favour Tomomewo, Festus Akingbaso, Adewale Adewinle, and Torhukerhijo.
Letter dated July 7 2020, addressed to the Speaker of the House, David Oleyelogun, contains signatures of the nine members said to have cut across three senatorial districts of the State
“We the underlisted elected honourable members of the 9th session of the Ondo State House of Assembly hereby append our signatures to clarify that we have resolved not to partake in the impeachment process of the Ondo State Deputy Governor, H.E. Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi,” the letter stated.
“In view of the above, we hereby bring to the notice of Mr Speaker, Rt Hon. Bamidele David Oleyelogun, the entire Honourable members of the Ondo State House of Assembly and the general public that we don’t not support the impeachment process and would not want to be associated with it based on personal convictions.”
Impeachment notice was, Tuesday, signed by 14 out of 26-member lawmakers of Ondo State House of Assembly, for the commencement of the impeachment of the Deputy Governor. Nigerian constitution requires one-third members of the House Of Assembly for the impeachment to recognised by law.
