An Akure High Court, on Monday, admonished the House of Assembly of Ondo State and the Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to close ranks and settle their political issues.
Hon Justice D.I. Kolawole made the remark when one of the cases filed between them came up for hearing before him in Akure.
In this case, the Ondo State Government and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu sued four registars of the Court, the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House and the Clerk, the Deputy Governor and the Chief Judge of Ondo State, to stop the compilation of records of appeal in aid of the appeal filed by the Deputy Governor against the ruling of Hon Justice Akintan-Osadebay delivered on 10th October 2023. The plaintiffs in this suit filed on 12th October 2023 in Suit No.AK/362/2023 are contending that the Registry of Ondo State High Court did not comply with due process of law and the Rules of the Court of Appeal before fixing a date for the compilation of records of appeal in alleged breach of their rights. They, therefore, asked the court to halt the process of the said compilation of records of appeal.
Upon being served with the new suit, the Deputy Governor raised a counter-claim, asking the court to stop the House of Assembly from continuing with the impeachment process, to nullify the notice of acts of gross misconduct raised agasint him by the House of Assembly, and to stop the Chief Judge and all judges and courts in Ondo State from extending the time within which the Chief Judge is to set up a panel of investigation beyond the seven days allowed by the Constitution which has since expired.
When the case came up for hearing before Hon Justice D.I. Kolawole, the plaintiffs were not in court and there was no legal representation for them, ditto the House of Assembly and the Chief Judge.
The Deputy Governor and Counter-claimant was represented by Emmanuel Omohavwa from the law firm of Ebun-olu Adegboruwa SAN & Co.
Omohavwa informed the court that following the intervention of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress, the House of Assembly and the Deputy Governor are exploring an amicable resolution of the issues in controversy between them, which may have accounted for their absence in court.
The Court was pleased with the information on settlement whereby the judge directed that the parties should settle and resolve their issues.
The case was thereafter adjourned to 6th November 2023 for further proceedings and report of settlement.
