An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on Wednesday, ordered the state House of Assembly to suspend the impeachment move against the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan.
Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled that the lawmakers should maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the application for interlocutory injunction filed by Olaniyan’s counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN).
Akintola, thereafter, adjourned the case until Tuesday, for the hearing of the respondent’s reply.
Olaniyan instituted the suit against the House of Assembly, the Clerk and the Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin, over the impeachment action against him by the lawmakers.
Fashanu had earlier filed an application for interim injunction restraining the Assembly from taking any step in pursuant of the impeachment of the applicant.
He prayed the court to rule that status quo should be maintained, pending the hearing, so that the application would not be defeated.
Counsel to the respondents, Mr A. A. Olabiyi, orally applied to the court for extension of time to respond to the motion.
Olabiyi said that he was served the motion on notice at the close of work on Tuesday.
Following the defection of the deputy governor from the Peoples Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress, subsequently the legislature initiated impeachment moves against him two weeks ago.
He was accused of financial recklessness, gross misconduct and insubordination, among other allegations.
