The Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday shunned a court order which urged the state lawmakers to suspend all matters relating to the ongoing impeachment process against the state Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan.
DAILY POST recalls that an Oyo state High Court had last week restrained the Oyo Assembly from further impeachment process against Olaniyan
Justice Ladiran Akintola gave this order last Wednesday.
Our correspondent however reports that the lawmakers have shunned the order.
The state lawmakers have directed the Chief judge in the state to set up a 7-member panel to investigate the allegations and report back to it in three months.
The directive was a sequel to a motion jointly sponsored by the Majority Leader of the house, Sanjo Adedoyin; and Akintunde Olajide.
Adedoyin while reading the motion explained that Olaniyan had not responded to the copy of the allegations served him by the lawmakers.
He said, “With this development, the House needs to invoke the provision specified in Section 188(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“In accordance with the provision of section 188(4) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to request the Chief Judge of Oyo State to appoint panel of 7 persons of unquestionable integrity to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr Rauf Olaniyan; and the panel to report its findings to the House within 3months of its appointment”.
Speaker of the house, Adebo Ogundoyin while speaking, said the issue was no more in the House as it has been handed over to the State Chief Judge, Justice Muntar Abimbola.
Ogundoyin said, “We have no say whether the State Deputy Governor is guilty or not. The issue will be determined by the 7member to be constituted by the Chief Judge. We are only working in line with the constitution. Once the report is submitted within or at the expiration of the 3months that’s what we are going to act upon.
“We are not in a position to judge in this case. We will ensure due process is followed. The vote was unanimous and we shall wait for the outcome of the report and investigation of the panel”.
