Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, lawyer to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the embattled Deputy Governor of Ondo State, has told the Chief Judge of the state to disregard the directive issued by the State House of Assembly to establish a probe panel in relation to the ongoing impeachment proceedings against his client.
The letter, addressed to the Chief Judge, highlighted the potential contempt of court that would arise should the impeachment process proceed while two separate cases concerning the matter are pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja and the State High Court in Akure.
According to Adegboruwa, the embattled deputy governor refrained from responding to the notice sent by the House of Assembly due to a restraining order already issued by the Federal High Court.
The ongoing legal actions, he argued, had created a legal obligation to suspend any further impeachment proceedings until the court cases are resolved.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier issued a restraining order preventing the Assembly from taking any actions regarding the impeachment process.
With the development, Adegboruwa emphasised that proceeding with the probe panel would not only undermine the ongoing judicial processes but also potentially amount to contempt of court.
“Our client has not been personally served with any valid Notice of acts of gross misconduct as required by law.
“Our client is not in receipt of any valid Notice of acts of gross misconduct properly so issued and bearing the authority of the House of Assembly of Ondo State to which he can respond.
“Our client has filed and served two separate applications upon the Ondo State House of Assembly, seeking orders of interlocutory injunction against the removal proceedings and also to stay further proceedings in respect of the invalid notice, which was illegally issued and improperly served,” he wrote.
The impeachment proceedings against Aiyedatiwa had been a subject of intense controversy and legal battles since it began a few weeks ago.
