The embattled Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan has approached the state High Court to stall the impeachment process instituted by the State House of Assembly.
It will be recalled that 24 out of the 32 members of the State House of Assembly had, in a petition, accused the deputy governor of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office, official duty, insubordination and other offences.”
The petition read: “This process, according to petitioners, is in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011. Section 188.”
The deputy governor, as reliably informed, has responded to all the allegations raised in the petition through his legal counsel.
This development has been confirmed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon. Kazeem Olayanju.
Olayanju disclosed this in an interview session on a popular Ibadan-based radio station. He said the house has received the response of the deputy governor on the allegations levelled against him, and it will be discussed when the House reconvenes today, Wednesday.
However, the development took another dimension on Tuesday when Olaniyan approached the court with prayers, seeking the order of the court to stop the House of Assembly from carrying on with the impeachment process.
The case came up before Justice Ladiran Akintola at High Court 7, Ring Road, Ibadan, on Tuesday and has been adjourned till Wednesday. The deputy governor was represented in court by his legal counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN.
Adjourning the case, the court ordered that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, and the clerk be put on notice about the litigation. As gathered, the duo have been served the court processes on Tuesday afternoon.
REPORTERS AT LARGE had earlier reported that the Oyo State Deputy Governor, on Sunday, June 5, 2022, announced that he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The announcement of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was made in his private office, Ojoo, Ibadan, while addressing journalists.
