The Ondo State deputy governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reportedly been served an allegation letter of alleged gross misconduct by the state Assembly, OsunDailyNG has learned.
It was gathered that the letter, which is expected to be replied to by the deputy governor within seven days, arrived at his office on Monday at around 3:16 pm after several days of evading service.
Recall that the Ondo assembly directed the Clerk to write the deputy governor over the allegation of gross misconduct levelled against him while he was acting governor of the state when Rotimi Akeredolu was away for medical treatment in Germany.
According to Vanguard, members of staff of his Aiyedatiwa’s office refused to collect the allegation letter from the Clerk of the House, Jaiyeola Benjamin saying they were acting on instructions.
The staff claimed that they’d been warned against collecting any letter from the House of Assembly.
One of the staff, according to the platform, alleged that they were threatened with a sack, should they accept the letter.
However, Aiyedatiwa, in an earlier statement on Monday, said he had yet to receive any letter to formally inform him of anything concerning the matter.
He stated, ”It is pertinent to put on record that as of today, Monday, September 25, 2023, I have not received any official communication or any “letter of allegations of gross misconduct” from the Ondo State House of Assembly.
” I find it especially worrying that the spokesman of the House of Assembly would go on national television to speak on such a matter without any evidence to show that such letter has been delivered to me. More disturbing is the fact that even when he was asked if the letter had been delivered, he gave no coherent answer.
” A sensitive constitutional matter of this nature, the impeachment process should not be conducted on the pages of newspapers and television screens.
“In effect, I reiterate that if such “letter of allegations of gross misconduct” against me exists, I have not seen it, and I have not been served. I therefore urge Mr. Speaker, The Honourable Chief Judge of Ondo State and members of the public to take note.”
Meanwhile, OsunDailyNG also reported that Aiyedatiwa had requested a court order to stop the State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him.
Aiyedatiwa, in suit No. AK/348/2023, filed at the High Court in Akure on Monday, is requesting the court to, among other things, stop the House of Assembly from impeaching him because it is not competent.
In a letter dated September 25, 2023, from the Chambers of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) and Co. and delivered to the office of the Chief Judge of Ondo State, copies of the court processes were duly attached for the information of the Chief Judge.
Aiyedatiwa also sought orders of injunction to stop the House of Assembly from initiating, continuing, or proceeding with the process of his removal from office as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
He is also praying the court stop the Chief Judge of Ondo State from accepting or acting upon any request from the House of Assembly of Ondo State to set up any panel to investigate any acts of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor.
According to him, the impeachment move is in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to fair hearing and that the sacking of his media aides and subjecting him to the Ministry of Information headed by a Commissioner amounts to a breach of his rights and privileges as a Deputy Governor.
The Ondo deputy governor is also seeking a declaration that his office, tenure, status, rights and privileges are protected, guaranteed and secured by the Constitution, and the declaration that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations as a Deputy Governor of Ondo State by the House of Assembly, he is entitled to a fair hearing and that given the utterances and conduct of the House of Assembly so far, there is likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process.
Aiyedatiwa was alleged to have ordered the N300 million to be sourced from the Palliative fund, which was from the Federal government to the state, in order to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.
But Aiyedatiwa has since denied the allegation, describing it as a fabricated lie.
