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Ondo Court Strikes Out Deputy Governor’s Case To Stop Impeachment

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An Akure High Court, in Ondo state, has struck out a suit instituted by the embattled deputy governor of the state, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, challenging his impeachment by the state House of Assembly.

Justice O. Akintan-Osadebay, in his ruling , declined jurisdiction to avoid conflicting verdict between Ondo High Court and Abuja Federal High Court.

Akintan-Osadebay, ruled that it was a gross abuse of court process to engage in “forum shopping, by instituting same case in Akure and Abuja High court.

It will be recalled that Aiyedatiwa, approached, the court in a suit delineated AK/348/2023 filed on September 25, 2023, to stop the House of Assembly from impeaching him.

The deputy governor sought for a declaration that “the House of Assembly is not competent to proceed on his impeachment in breach of his constitutional and fundamental rights to fair hearing and that the sacking of his media aides and subjecting him to the Ministry of Information headed by a Commissioner amounts to a breach of his rights and privileges as a deputy governor.

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Aiyedatiwa “is also seeking a declaration that his office, tenure, status, rights and privileges are protected, guaranteed and secured by the Constitution, and the declaration that in the determination of his civil rights and obligations as a Deputy Governor of Ondo State by the House of Assembly, he is entitled to a fair hearing and that given the utterances and conduct of the House of Assembly so far, there is likelihood of bias against him in the impeachment process.

According to him, in conducting media trials against him without serving him with any notice of gross misconduct, the House Assembly has constituted itself into accuser, investigator, prosecutor and judge.

Aiyedatiwa then sought orders of injunction to stop the House of Assembly from initiating, continuing or proceeding with the process of his removal from office as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.

He also seeks an order to stop the Chief Judge of Ondo State from accepting or acting upon any request from the House of Assembly of Ondo State to set up any panel to investigate any acts of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor.

Aiyedatiwa named as defendants in the suit filed by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, are the Ondo State Government, the Governor of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly, Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Clerk of Ondo State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of Ondo State.

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In the affidavit in support of the originating summons, it was stated that the House of Assembly embarked upon a media trial of the Deputy Governor purely to scandalize him and incite public opinion against him when indeed no notice of acts of alleged gross misconduct was served on him.

He also accused the House of Assembly of persecuting him without lawful basis in conspiracy with certain persons who are gladiators in political circles.

Dep gov not ready for reconciliation- group
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis Ondo Masses Solidarity Movement (MSM) has alleged that the deputy governor, has not withdraw the lawsuit he filed against his impeachment by the Ondo State House of Assembly.

The group recall that Aiyedatiwa’s lawyer, Mr. Ebun-olu Adegboruwa (SAN), informed the court that the deputy governor wished to withdraw the suit following the intervention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the matter.

It’s coordinator, Chief Ogunyemi Jeremiah,in a Statement in Akure, said that “the story was planted in the newspaper to delay the court case and mislead the public about a reconciliation effort.

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Jeremiah said that ” In light of the ongoing developments in the impeachment process of Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, we find it necessary to address the spread of fake news as published in today’s newspaper.

“We urge the public to disregard the false news claiming that Aiyedatiwa has withdrawn his lawsuit against his impeachment. This story, as published, was the work of individuals attempting to delay the case and extend the impeachment process.

“In fact, if anything, the deputy governor has shown that he is not ready for reconciliation.

“His consistent reference to the reconciliation committee appears to be an act of deception and pretense. It is disappointing that the deputy governor professes reconciliation while actively pursuing legal actions.

“Just moments ago, the deputy governor appealed the ruling of the Akure High Court that declined jurisdiction on the suit challenging his impeachment.

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“This contradicts Aiyedatiwa’s reconciliation stance. One cannot advocate for reconciliation while simultaneously initiating court proceedings.

“As stakeholders in Ondo State, we have lost confidence in the deputy governor’s ability to continue holding public office.

Jeremiah said that ” Resorting to legal measures to halt impeachment proceedings, especially when facing serious allegations related to taxpayers’ money without providing any response, is a disservice to the people of the state.

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Tinubu, Ganduje Plotted To Hand Rivers APC To Wike, Embarrass Amaechi – Eze

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has condemned the dissolution of the executives of the party in Rivers State.

Eze, in a statement on Saturday, alleged that the development was part of a plot to embarrass former Rivers governor, Chibuike Amaechi.

Eze noted that President Bola Tinubu and the party’s National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, plotted the scheme to hand over the state chapter of the party to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and write off Amaechi and his team, notwithstanding the “wars the latter fought to prune and nurture the party to its sustainable status”.

He reminded those he called the cabal to be wary of Wike, who he described as a political chameleon.

“I am happy to note that both Tinubu and Ganduje have suffered and tested the bitter pills of Wike in most of his attempts to decimate the party and to handover the party structure to him and his agents is nothing but sheer wickedness and unreasonableness, because it will definitely backfire.

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“It is however unfortunate that all the appointments so far made by Tinubu and his government have only favored Wike, who fought Rivers APC to a standstill with the resource of the state at their peck and call,” he said.

Eze called on Ganduje and the national leadership of the party to note that their action could be prejudicial as the dissolution of the state exco is pending before a court of competent jurisdiction, before which an ex parte motion was also filed praying that parties maintain status quo – which means shelving the inauguration of the interim committee.

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I Won’t Contest Against Tinubu In 2027 – Wike

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has given the lie to insinuations suggesting that he would contest against his boss, President Bola Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election.

The former Rivers State governor vowed that having worked for the emergence of Tinubu as president, and having been made minister of the FCT, nothing would make him contest against his principal in 2027.

The minister who spoke on a live television programme in Abuja yesterday also said good character should never be compromised on the altar of politics.

Wike reiterated his commitment to the success of the Tinubu administration, even as he explained that the quest for justice was the key reason he and the G5 group of governors supported the presidential ambition of Tinubu.

He stated: “Tinubu made me the FCT minister and I won’t allow anybody to crumble our political structure. No! Tinubu made me minister; people do not understand. I have character.

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“What will happen in 2027? I stood and I said I am not going to support injustice. I was threatened that they will do me this and that. They tried many options, including using Major Generals.”

On the update of his face-off with his successor, Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State, the minister who initially said he did not want to talk about the matter however said, “Give a man power and money, that is when you will know the person. If you have not given a man power and money do not say you know the person.

“He may be your friend; he may be your son, sister or mother or father. I don’t want to go into that.”

Wike expressed dismay that Fubara would seek to destroy the structure which produced him as governor just within three months of his emergence.

“In three months, it is sad for someone to scatter a political structure that supported and brought you up. You know what is painful? All these allegations, I smile. Who and who sat with him. In all your doings be grateful in your life no matter the circumstance. Nobody who is a gentleman and a politician will support this kind of thing.

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Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, Wike said: “We never knew that it will take you three months to scatter the political structure that picked you up. What is painful is seeing these propaganda and lies that I was angry. Did he (Fubara) buy form? Be grateful in your life in all circumstances.

“I will not allow anybody to crumble our political structure. I told him if you do this ring-road your second tenure would be assured, I took him to Germany to meet Julius Berger and they promised to do the road in three years, which is the year leading to election. I told him if you do this road, nobody will challenge you in Rivers State.

“Anything that will make me disrespect Mr President, count me out. He disobeyed the President, disobeyed the Vice President. When the law speaks, thuggery, militancy and ethnicity will run away.”

Wike also outlined some of his achievements as governor of Rivers State, saying he was paying pensioners’ gratuity every month, something he said was not done by his predecessor.

“I took River State to the level where you cannot discuss politics in Nigeria without Rivers State. I was an ordinary minister when I became a governor. I challenged the sitting governor and I defeated his candidate. I worked hard,” he said.

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Meanwhile, the minister said existing landowners with Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in the FCT must re-certify them to incorporate the new features.

Wike said this would cost individuals N50,000 each and corporate bodies, N100,000 each.

Still speaking on a live television programme in Abuja, the minister noted that the new C-of-O would now require a National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN)

He said he had been refraining from signing C-of-Os during his tenure as the FCT minister to introduce enhanced security measures, such as the inclusion of NIN for individuals and BVN for corporate bodies.

“There are a lot of discrepancies, a lot of cloning of C-of-Os. So, we have come up with an idea that every allottee who seeks and applies for a C-of-O must supply his NIN; this is one of the features we are going to put in the new C-of-O.

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“If a corporate body doesn’t have an NIN and they have a property, they must put their BVN. So many persons have not registered, and this will make them go and re-register,” Wike stated.

On the existing landlords with C-of-Os, he noted that they would only be required to pay a nominal fee for recertification.

“For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a recertification, so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN. Those who had a C-of-O before do not need to pay money again; the highest they can pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation,” he said.

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