Oyo: 24 lawmakers initiate impeachment move against deputy governor

From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

The letter, dated June 9, 2022, was received same day in the Office of the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, and it was entitled: ‘Petition and Notice of Allegations of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Engineer Rauf Olaniyan.’

This development came barely two weeks after Olaniyan dumped PDP for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), over perceived frosty relationship with the governor, Seyi Makinde.

In the petition read at the plenary on Wednesday, the 24 lawmakers levelled five allegations against Olaniyan, bordering on gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office and official duty, and insubordination and other offences.

The petition was signed by all the 24 lawmakers, who are all members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The petition was read at the plenary by the Clerk of the House, Yetunde Awe. But only lawmakers, journalists and house officials were allowed into the legislative chamber to witness the plenary.

The Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, in his reaction, noted that the petition meets the two-third requirements to initiate the impeachment process against the deputy governor. He said the lawmakers would give the deputy governor a seven-day ‘grace period’ to respond to the allegations, which would end on Wednesday June 22.

He, however, warned that failure to respond to the allegations within seven days could lead to the commencement of impeachment move.

The petition read in part: ”Consequent upon listed below, we the under listed elected Honourable members of the 9th assembly hereby allege the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Eng. Rauf Olaniyan with the following allegations: Gross misconduct, Abuse of office, Financial recklessness, Abandonment of office,official duty, Insubordination and other offences. This is in accordance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011. Section 188.”

The lawmakers that signed the petition include the deputy speaker, Fadeyi Muhammed (Ona Ara), Kehinde Olatunde (Akinyele 2), Olajide Akintunde (Lagelu), Mustapha Akeem (Kajola), Popoola Ademola (Ibadan South East 2), Owolabi Olusola (Ibadan North East 2), Olagoke Olamide (Ibadan North East 1), Olayanji Kazeem (Irepo/Olorunsogo), Ojedokun Peter (Ibarapa North/Centre).

The list also comprised Onaolapo Sanjo (Ogbomosho South), Babalola Olasunkanmi (Egbeda), Adebisi Yussuf (Ibadan Southwest 1), Okedoyin Julius (Saki West) and Adebayo Babajide (Ibadan North 2), Gbadamosi Saminu (Saki East/Atisbo), Mabaje Adekunle (Iddo), Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi (Ibadan Southwest 2), Akeem Adedibu (Iwajowa), Fatokun Ayo (Akinyele 1), Rasak Ademola (Ibadan South East 1), Obadara Akeem (Ibadan North West), Oyekunle Fola (Ibadan North 1), and Adetunji Francis (Oluyole).

The plenary was then adjourned  Thursday June 16.