Impeachment: Ondo Chief Judge defends Constitution, rejects request by 14 lawmakers to set up panel against Ajayi

The move by 14 lawmakers to impeach the deputy governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, suffered a setback on Friday as the Chief Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, rejected their request to set up a panel to investigate him.
Ajayi had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pursue his governorship ambition.

Immediately, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his supporters declared that Ajayi must resign as the deputy governor.
Some lawmakers loyal to Akeredolu and led by the Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, also instituted impeachment action against Ajayi, writing Justice Akeredolu to institute a seven-man panel to probe allegations against him.
But, the Chief Judge would have none of that.
While defending the 1999 Constitution (as amended), she declared that their request breached the law.
In a letter written to Oleyelogun entitled ‘Re: Request to set up 7-man panel pursuant to Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, she declared that the matter of Ajayi’s impeachment was subjudice.
She also listed criteria for impeachment of a governor or deputy governor and said the lawmakers have not done the right thing.
Nine of the 26 lawmakers had earlier written to the Chief Judge, opposing the move to impeach Ajayi.

Justice Akeredolu declared: “In view foregoing, the Hon. Members of the House of Assembly have not completed the constitutional process that would lead your very good self to invite my humble self to set up a panel of 7 to investigate allegations of gross misconduct as stipulated in the Constitution.

“Furthermore, I wish to bring to your notice the copy of the letter which I received earlier today from Kayode Olatoke (SAN) which letter tells me clearly that the matter of impeachment of Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, Deputy Governor of Ondo State, is subjudice”.