Oyo lawmakers move to impeach Governor Makinde’s deputy

Oyo State House of Assembly has begun an impeachment process against the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, just after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Olaniyan had been asked by the ruling party in the state to resign or be ready to be removed.

A petition against the Deputy Governor signed by 24 out of the 32 members of the House, was read during plenary on Wednesday June 15. The deputy governor was accused of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office and official duties, insubordination and other offences.

Lawmakers who signed the petition are Fadeyi Muhammed (Ona Ara), Onaolapo Sanjo (Ogbomosho South), Babalola Olasunkanmi (Egbeda), Adebisi Yussuf (Ibadan Southwest 1), Okedoyin Julius (Saki West), Adebayo Babajide (Ibadan North 2), Kehinde Olatunde ( Akinyele 2); Gbadamosi Saminu (Saki East/Atisbo), Mabaje Adekunle (Iddo), Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi (Ibadan Southwest 2), Akeem Adedibu (Iwajowa), Fatokun Ayo (Akinyele 1), Rasak Ademola (Ibadan South East 1), Obadara Akeem (Ibadan North West), Oyekunle Fola (Ibadan North 1), Adetunji Francis (Oluyole).

Others are: Olajide Akintunde (Lagelu), Mustapha Akeem (Kajola), Popoola Ademola (Ibadan South East 2), Owolabi Olusola (Ibadan North East 2), Olagoke Olamide (Ibadan North East 1), Olayanji Kazeem (Irepo/Olorunsogo), Ojedokun Peter (Ibarapa North/Centre).

After the clerk read the petition, the Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin said it met the two-thirds requirements to initiate the impeachment process.

The lawmakers would give the deputy governor a seven-day grace period to respond to the allegations raised against him. The seven days would expire on June 22.

Ogundoyin stated that failure to do so could lead to the commencement of his removal process.