High Court Halts Ongoing Moves to Impeach Ondo Deputy Governor
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has stopped the ongoing impeachment of the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa, by the State House of Assembly.
The Assembly had already ordered the State Chief Judge, to set up a panel to initiate the process of impeaching the Deputy Governor for an alleged misconduct.
But, Federal High Court on Tuesday, granted an exparte application filed by the Deputy Governor, for the suspension of the impeachment process.
Justice Emeka Nwite, ruling on the exparte application, also ordered Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, not to nominate a new Deputy Governor for confirmation by the State House of Assembly.
She also ordered that the Deputy Governor must not be harassed or intimidated by the governor or his servants, or prevented him from carrying out his duties as the Deputy Governor.
The judge said his order prevails until the substantive matters before him is determined.
He adjourned further hearing to October 9.
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The court order followed an ex-parte application that Aiyedatiwa moved through his lawyer, Kayode Adewusi.
He had among other things, prayed the court to stop governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, from nominating a new deputy governor and forwarding same to the Ondo state House of
Assembly for confirmation, pending the determination of the suit.
Cited as 1st to 6th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, were; the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services,
DSS, governor Akeredoku, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Ondo State, as well as the House of Assembly itself.
After he had listened to the ex-parte motion that was accompanied with an affidavit of urgency, Justice Nwite held that it was in the interest of justice to issue the interim preservative orders.
Justice Nwite equally issued an order of interim injunction, restraining governor Akeredolu, his servants or privies, from harassing, intimidating,
embarrassing and preventing Aiyedatiwa from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Ondo State, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
