Twelve of the twenty-six members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have distanced themselves from an alleged letter to the state chief judge proposing the formation of a seven-person panel to look into serious accusations made against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor.

 

The House of the Assembly’s spokesperson, Olatunji Oshati, said in a statement on Thursday in Akure that the 12 members were taken aback by the alleged letter.

“As members of the 10th Assembly of Ondo State House of Assembly, we wish to inform the public and the good people of Ondo State that the letter purported to have been written by members of the 10th Assembly of Ondo State House of Assembly, signed by Rt Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, dated 23rd October, 2023, transmitted to the Chief Judge of Ondo State, requesting the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, came to us on social media as a rude shock, as the said letter did not emanate from any of the sittings of members of Ondo State House of Assembly.

 

“We wish to state further that the decision to transmit such letter by the speaker, Rt Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, to the Chief Judge of Ondo State, in our view,is in the least unwarranted and uncalled for, in the light of the following reasons;

 

“The order of interim injunction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, of 21st day of September, 2023, which has restrained the speaker and Ondo State House of Assembly, as 4th and 6th respondents respectively, is still subsisting, since it has neither be vacated nor set aside.

 

For us to act in contravention of the subsisting order of the court  will certainly be contemptuous,” he said.

 

Oshati explained that the national  leaders  of the All Progressive Congress, on  Oct. 17, invited all the 22 members of the  party in the House of Assembly of to Abuja and pleaded for amicable and political solution to the issue of impeachment process, initiated by the assembly against the deputy governor.

 

According to him, without hesitation, the request was acceded to in the interest  of the party and peace of the state.

 

“Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, consequently addressed press immediately after the meeting.

“It will be untidy in our view to get back to Ondo State and act otherwise.

 

“The decision to transmit the purported letter of Ondo State House of Assembly, dated 23rd October, 2023, signed by Rt Hon Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, was taken without a formal sitting of the House  and our knowledge as members of the 10th Assembly.

 

“It is our considered view that we should be honourable indeed by standing with our acceptance at the Abuja meeting to suspend  the impeachment process and allow for amicable and political solution to the issue for the benefits of governance and peace of Ondo State,” he stated.

 

The spokesman, however, reiterated the 12 aggrieved members’ unalloyed respect and support to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, whom he described as a man of peace and leader per excellence, who strongly believed in peace and progress of the state.

 

Oshati asked the embattled deputy governor to embrace peace for the betterment of the state.

 

“We, equally, call on His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State,  Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa, to earnestly tow the path of the agreement for amicable and political solution to the impeachment saga, as brokered by the National Working Committee of All Progressive Congress.

 

“In the light of the foregoing, we the undersigned members of Ondo State House of Assembly, wish to dissociate ourselves from the letter titled; Request to Constitute a Seven-man panel, to investigate the Allegation of Gross Misconduct Against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Following the Expiration of the Interim Injunction of the Federal High Court in Suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, by Operation of Law, signed by Rt Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi and addressed to the Chief Judge of Ondo State,” he stated.

 

The 12 members are: Japheth Oluwatoyin, Jide Oguntodu, Tiamiyu Fatai Atere; Gbegudu Ololade,  Allen Oluwatoyin and  Abitogun Stephen.

Others are Tope Komolafe, Afe Felix, Biola Oladapo, Fayemi Olawumi, and Oshati Olatunji.