By Banji Ayoola
Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday gave seven seven reasons why it moved to impeach the state’s deputy governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi.
The Deputy Governor, who, about two weeks ago, ditched the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, the same platform on which he was elected with his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is now a governorship aspirant in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Fourteen of the 26 members of the assembly have already signed an impeachment notice against Ajayi. They are Honourables Aderoboye Samuel, Oladiji Olamide, Festus Adefioye, Adeyemi Olayemi, Muhammed Oladele, Oluwole Emmanuel, Borokini Simeon, Gbegudu Ololade, Abiodun Faleye, Falemu Olusegun, Akintomide Akinrogun, Towase Kuti, Akinruntan Abayomi and Oloyede Olusola.
The allegations are:
- Gross misconduct;
- Abuse of office with actions likely to bring down Ondo State government;
- Financial recklessness;
- Abandonment of office, official duties and other assignments;
- Actions on Sunday June 21, 2020 likely to cause breach of peace in reference to 1983 political crisis with the intent to incite the citizens against government of Ondo State in a video clip at government house ground before the commissioner of police;
- Publication dated Tuesday, 23rd of June, 2020 by his sacked aide, Babatope Okeowo maligning the credibility of the legislative arm of government with false allegations of cash inducement; and
- Petition from the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Ondo Chapter on his alleged movement to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) having sworn in as deputy governor on party’s ticket with Mr governor for a four years term.
However, nine other members of the Assembly have dissociated themselves from the impeachment.
The members in a joint letter to the speaker, on Tuesday said they do not support the impeachment process and would not want to be associated with it.
The nine members are Honourables Iroju Ogundeji, Jamiu Sulaiman, Rasheed Elegbeleye, Tomide Akinrinbido, Samuel Ademola, Favour Tomemowo, Festus Akingbaso, Adewale Williams and Torhukerhijo Success.
They said in the letter: “We the underlisted elected Honourable members of the 9th session of the Ondo State House of Assembly hereby append our signatures to clarify that we have resolved not to partake in the impeachment process of the Ondo State, Deputy-Governor, H. E. Alfred Agboola Ajayi.”
“In view of the above, we hereby bring it to the notice of Mr Speaker, Rt. Hon. Bamidele David Oleyelogun, the entire Honourable members of the Ondo State House of Assembly and the general public that we do not support the impeachment process and would not want to be associated with it based on personal conviction”.
The deputy governor had on Monday sued the House of Assembly over the planned impeachment.
He said the decision is to halt plans by the assembly to begin his impeachment for leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He plans to run for primary in the upcoming election in the opposition party.
Ajayi through his lawyer, I. Olatoke, filed a suit seeking to halt the impeachment proceeding and enforce his fundamental right of association at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Besides the House of Assembly, the suit has the Inspector General of Police, State Commissioner Of Police, State Security Service (SSS) and the Speaker of the Assembly, David Oleyeloogun as defendants.
It is not clear if the suit has been assigned to a judge.
He has resigned his membership of the APC and moved out of his official residence.
Thereafter, he formally joined the PDP and was formally welcomed to the party by its national chairman, Uche Secondus.
According to him, the APC has ‘become a poisoned space’ with one man ‘kneeling on its neck’.
He has been screened by PDP and is expected to contest in the party’s primary ahead of the October gubernatorial election.
