Following the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to the Ondo state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to respond to the allegations of gross misconduct, the state house of assembly will reportedly be proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him.
This is in spite of a court order barring the house from carrying out the impeachment proceeding pending the determination of a lawsuit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa.
The house which has now reacted to the court order, stated that the judiciary cannot stop the exercise as it is protected by the Nigerian Constitution against the interference of courts.
The House also responded to another suit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa before the State High Court by describing the suit as an abuse of court process.
Speaker of the house, Olamide Oladiji who spoke at plenary on Tuesday, October 3, said;
“The impeachment process will continue in line with the 1999 Constitution since the deputy governor failed to respond within seven days stipulated by the law.”
He issued a fresh directive to the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Olusegun Odusola, to “immediately” set up a seven-person panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the deputy governor.
Mr Odusola is joined in the suit filed by the deputy governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.