The Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, on Wednesday, declined the order of the state House of Assembly to set up a panel to probe the allegation of gross misconduct against the deputy governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Recall that the assembly had directed the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man panel within seven days to probe the deputy governor.
Confirming this to newsmen, the majority of the state House of Assembly, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said that due process would be followed in the impeachment of the deputy governor.
Ogunmolasuyi said that ” the House would respect the law and due process would be followed on the matter.
” No matter the hindrance, we are going to follow the process,” he declared.
Vanguard learnt that the Chief Judge had intimated to the speaker of the assembly, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji, that he would not be able to carry out the directive of the assembly until the order of an Abuja Federal High Court, which stopped the impeachment process against the deputy governor was vacated.
The Chief Judge position was communicated to the speaker following the seven-day deadline handed down to him by the assembly expired on Tuesday.
A member of the assembly who spoke with Vanguard in confidence said that the Chief Judge has advised the speaker “to muster concerted efforts to vacate the order of the Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, as an irreducible precondition for him to obey the Assembly’s directive.
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“The CJ has reached out to Mr Speaker that he cannot set up a 7-member panel to probe the deputy governor as directed by the House, claiming that his hands are tied by the interim order issued by Justice Emeka Nwite, stopping the impeachment process.