The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi has been impeached by the state House of Assembly.
The impeachment was endorsed by 24 out of the 26 members of the House under the oversight of the Speaker on Monday.
The motion for his impeachment was moved by the majority leader Ifedayo Akinsoyinu from Ondo West II and seconded by Olatunji Dauro from Owo II.
Consequently, the Speaker Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele ruled that all government properties in his custody are to be retrieved by the Permanent Secretary of the Deputy governor’s office by all lawful means.
The Assembly had last Tuesday served an impeachment notice on Mr. Olanusi.
The Assembly, in the notices signed by 20 of its 26 members, accused the deputy governor of alleged gross misconduct.
Some of the allegations levelled against him include financial misappropriation, absenteeism from official duties and causing disaffection in the state cabinet.
The Ondo lawmakers are accusing Olanusi of, among others, “acting to undermine the office of the governor by causing political disaffection and deliberately working at cross purposes with the governor and the executive council of the state with a view to destabilising the state government.”
The deputy governor is also accused of playing truancy, particularly on April 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 and Monday, April 20, 2015, when he allegedly shunned official engagements without lawful excuse or official authorisation.
In today’s impeachment proceeding, the House claimed Olanusi violated section 188 (9) of the 1999 Constitution.
The House had earlier received the report of the 7-man panel set up by the state Chief Judge, Olasehinde Kumuyi.
The panel head by Retired Chief Magistrate, Olatunde Stanley Adeniyan found Alhaji Olanusi culpable of the seven offences levelled against him.
Mr. Olanusi had two days before the March 28 presidential election defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party.
He had, alongside his boss, Governor Segun Mimiko, earlier left the Labour Party, on which platform they were elected, for the PDP.
In a letter dated April 23, 2015, Kumuyi said he had heeded the call of the House to set up the panel, pursuant to Section 188(5) of the Constitution.
The CJ’s letter revealed that the seven-man impeachment panel would be chaired by a retired Chief Magistrate in the state, Mr. Olatunji Adeniyan.
The members are Mr. Aladesanmi Akingbade, Mr.Ademola Ekundayo, Mr. Richard Obafemi, Mr. Abraham Mathew, Alhaji Ibrahim Shodeinde and Mrs. Eunice Yinka Obadele.
Kumuyi’s reply to the House read in part, “In line with the provision of Section 188(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I have set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations against the Deputy Governor as required by the Constitution.”
In impeaching the Deputy Governor, the House said its action was in consonance with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
