Impeachment: Oyo Assembly Refrains from Discussing Deputy Governor at Plenary

The Oyo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, refrained from discussing any issue related to the impeachment process of the state Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, in what could be described as compliance to the rule of law.

The House had, last week, said it would continue the process by presenting Olaniyan’s response to a petition sent to him by the lawmakers, during Wednesday plenary.

However, earlier on Wednesday, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, had issued an order that status-quo be maintained on the case pending hearing of the case before the court and adjourned the matter till July 5th, 2022, for the hearing of the interlocutory injunctions.

Olaniyan had dragged the Assembly, the Speaker and the Clerk before the court to seek intervention on what he described as faulty impeachment process.

Read Also:

Deputy Governor: Oyo Court orders Assembly to hold-off on Impeachment

Oyo Deputy Governor takes State Assembly to court 

Oyo State Deputy Governor defects to APC

The case, which initially came up for hearing on Tuesday, was adjourned to Wednesday due to the non appearance of the counsel to the defendants, but both parties were in Court on Wednesday where the judge ruled that the House should halt any move relating to the impeachment of the Deputy Governor.

However, during Wednesday plenary, the lawmakers did not list the matter on the order paper in a move described by sources as respect and compliance with the court order.

Although, the House did not state why the matter did not come up, it was gathered that the lawmakers had concluded plans to read Olaniyan’s reply during plenary but for the Court order which was given earlier in the day.

Sources also hinted that the lawmakers had expressed willingness to wait until the order is vacated by the court, if the process would continue as a way of showing its respect for the rule of law.

Trans-International Border Markets

The lawmakers, during the day’s legislative business, called on the Executive arm to take proactive steps towards the realisation of trans-national border market at Okerete Village, Saki-West Local Government Area of the state.

Discussing a motion brought before the House by Julius Okedoyin, the lawmaker representing Saki West State Constituency, the House enumerated the various benefits accruable to the state and the residents if the projects, initiated by the last administration, is translated to reality.

The Federal Government had, through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperative, designed six prototype Trans-International Border Markets to be established in six geopolitical zones of the country, with Oyo State chosen as a beneficiary state among Southwest states.

Okedoyin said: “For Oyo State not to lose the opportunity and for all the efforts put in by the state government not to be futile, the present administration in the state, through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperative and other concerned MDAs must take urgent proactive steps towards the realisation of the establishment of Trans-National Border Market at Okerete.

Emmanuel Ukoh