We’ve served Ondo deputy gov impeachment notice ― Assembly Clerk

The Ondo State House of Assembly, on Thursday, said the deputy governor of the State, Hon Agboola Ajayi, has been duly served and received the copy of the impeachment notice.

The Chief Clerk of the House of Assembly, Mr Bode Adeyelu, who disclosed this to newsmen said the letter was received by the deputy governor last Tuesday.

Adeyelu said the deputy governor at a plenary sitting of lawmakers was alleged of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness and abandonment of office, official duties and other assignments among other allegations

He said a copy of the notice of the allegations with supporting documents had been forwarded to the deputy governor.

Meanwhile, the nine lawmakers of the state House of Assembly who kicked against the impeachment of the state’s deputy governor, have written to the State Chief Judge, Mrs Olarenwaju Akeredolu.

The nine members who dissociated themselves from the ongoing impeachment process said the letter was to intimate the Chief Judge on the development in the state House of Assembly.

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The lawmakers are Rt Hon Iroju Ogundeji (Deputy Speaker), Hon Jamiu Sulaiman Maito, Hon Rasheed Olalekan Elegbeleye, Hon Tomide Leonard Akinribido and Hon Samuel Edamisan Ademola.

Others are Hon Favour Semilore Tomomewo, Hon Festus Akingbaso, Hon Adewale Williams Adewinle and Hon (Barr.) Torhukerhijo Success.

The lawmakers, in the open letter, said the notification became necessary following the resolution of the leadership of the House to suspend some of them in order to carry out the illegal act.

The letter read: “ Kindly be informed that nine underlisted elected Honourable members of Ondo State House of Assembly have duly dissociated ourselves from the ongoing impeachment process of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, H.E.( Hon.) Agboola Alfred Ajayi in a letter dated July 7th 2020 to the Clerk and the Clerk and the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, herewith attached.

“We want to state and confirm to your good office that we maintain our stand by dissociating ourselves from the impeachment process. We are not in support of the impeachment based on our individual personal conviction.

“We are rest assured that your Lordship will uphold Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) particularly Section 188 (3) (4) (5) – (11).

“It is equally worthy of note that the total membership of Ondo State House of Assembly is 26 in which 2/3 is 18 and this remains the constitutionally required number irrespective of any arbitrary suspension.”

“We are writing to call your attention to the fact that all or some of us who are signatories to this letter may be suspended in order to circumvent the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, which we all swore to uphold and protect, including your honourable Lordship, as this will be contrary to the laws of the land.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE