Panel: Ondo speaker urges CJ to investigate deputy gov

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

Ondo House of Assembly Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, has called on the Chief Judge, Justice Olaranwaju Akeredolu, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

Oleyelogun said the setting up of the panel was in line with Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution  (as amended).

In a letter to the chief judge, the speaker: “By the resolution of the House and pursuant to Section 188 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it was resolved the allegation be investigated forthwith.

“It is in line with the above that I request that you set up a seven-man panel to conduct the investigation as resolved by the House and the panel shall as soon as possible, report back to the House,” he said.

The speaker urged the chief judge to act on the matter as the issue demands urgent attention.

But lawmakers loyal to Ajayi, have written to the CJ distancing themselves from the planned impeachment process of the deputy governor.

The lawmakers, nine in number, had earlier presented their position paper to Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun.

The House had, on Wednesday, suspended three of the lawmakers for allegedly violating rules of the House during a rowdy plenary which ended abruptly.

However, the nine lawmakers, in a letter addressed to the chief judge, expressed their support for the deputy governor, saying they are not part of the plot to impeach him.

In the letter dated July 9, the lawmakers said they have duly disassociated themselves from the ongoing impeachment process of the deputy governor in a letter sent  to the clerk and the speaker of the House.

“Kindly be informed that nine under-listed elected members of the Assembly have duly disassociated ourselves from the ongoing impeachment process of the Deputy Governor Ajayi in a letter dated July 7, to the clerk and the speaker, here with attached.

“We want to state and confirm to your good office that we maintain our stand by dissociating ourselves from the impeachment process,” the lawmakers said in the letter.