Impeachment Saga: Ondo Deputy Governor Takes Another Step Against Akeredolu

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has withdrawn the lawsuit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, to stop his impeachment by the state House of Assembly.

According to findings by OSUN DEFENDER, other defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023 include the Governor of Ondo State, Rotumi Akeredolu and the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

The medium also learnt that the Chief Judge of the state House of Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services were also joined in the suit.

During the hearing of the suit yesterday, the Deputy Governor’ lawyer, Mr Ebun-olu Adegboruwa (SAN), told the court that Aiyedatiwa wished to withdraw the suit following the intervention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in the matter.

The lawyer noted that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, had set up a reconciliation committee on October 6, to mediate the dispute between some of the parties to the suit.

The SAN opinated that going ahead with the court proceedings could frustrate the reconciliation efforts by the APC leadership.

He opined that the Ondo State House of Assembly has written a petition to the National Judicial Council on October 3, 2023, against the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite.

He urged the court to wait for the decision of the NJC on the petition before going ahead with the matter.

However, counsel for the Ondo State Governor, Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), and that of the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Mutalib Ojo (SAN), opposed Adegboruwa and urged the court to go ahead with the case.

In his submission, counsel for the Assembly, Femi Emodamori, said the Ondo Assembly had already withdrawn the petition against the judge.

Justice Nwite adjourned till October 6 for ruling.

Aiyedatiwa had in the suit sought an order of interim injunction restraining Akeredolu, his servants, or privies from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing, and preventing him from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Ondo State.

The court had granted his prayers and adjourned the matter till Monday to hear the substantive matter.