Impeachment: Panel concludes sitting on Ondo deputy gov

Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi

A seven-man panel set up to look into allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Ali Olanusi, concluded sitting on the impeachment of the deputy governor in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.

The panel Chairman, Mr. Olatunji Adeniyan, while addressing Olanusi’s counsel and the state House of Assembly, gave assurance of members’ readiness to be fair to all parties.

The counsel for the state House of Assembly and the Deputy Governor, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) and Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, however, argued over the manner the impeachment notice was served.

Enikuomehin noted that the deputy governor was not properly served to appear before the panel. He, therefore, argued that the panel could not sit, citing Section 36 sub-sections 1, 2, 3 of the constitution.

While Enikuomehin said at one point that it was Olanusi’s son who instructed him to appear as his father was out of the country on a routine medical checkup and had already written the governor to that effect, he later said he got the notice through the social media.

He then demanded that Olanusi be properly served by the Assembly.

In his counter argument, Akinlaja stressed that the fact that Enikuomehin appeared for Olanusi testified that his client was well served. He equally presented a copy of a letter signed by the deputy governor informing the governor of his intention to travel next Monday to prove that Olanusi was indeed in the country.

He urged the panel to discountenance Enikuomehin’s claims, stressing that the numerous evidence on ground attested to the fact that Olanusi was in the country and was well and properly served the summons as well as the notice of impeachment.

However, the chairman of the panel, Adeniyan, ruled that sufficient evidence on ground showed that Olanusi was properly served the summon. He said the panel would get back to the House of Assembly on its decision.

Akinlaja then led Dr. Kola Ademujimi, the Chief of Staff to Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s Office, Kehinde Temikotan, in evidence as witnesses on all the seven allegations levelled against Olanusi.