Former Kano State Governor and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, may have successfully staved off the impeachment plot against embattled Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ganduje and members of his National Working Committee (NWC), met with lawmakers from the state where former Katsina State Governor who incidentally is the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee on the Ondo crisis, Aminu Masari, was also in attendance.
The lawmakers led by Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Oladeji Olamide agreed to drop the impeachment proceedings against Honourable Aiyedatiwa. They were accompanied by the Chairman, APC, Ondo State Chapter, Ade Adetimilehin.
Checks revealed that the Ondo State House of Assembly had earlier given indication to proceed with the impeachment of the Deputy Governor following his refusal to respond to allegations of gross misconduct leveled against him by some lawmakers after the seven days notice given to him.
Despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining the House from proceeding with the impeachment until the court determines a suit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa, the House had said the court cannot stop the exercise, as it submitted that its stance to proceed with the impeachment is protected by the Nigerian Constitution against the interference of courts.
The House also responded to another suit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa before the State High Court, describing it as an abuse of court process.
Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, insisted that “the impeachment process would continue in line with the 1999 Constitution since the deputy governor failed to respond within seven days stipulated by the law.”
But the impeachment process suffered a setback as the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, failed to respond to the request of the state House of Assembly to set up a probe panel.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, Aminu Masari, said the lawmakers have agreed to stop the impeachment process to allow his trouble shooting team commence its assignment.
He said: “For now, the probe and impeachment process have been suspended to allow room for the committee to work. We met with all stakeholders, except for the Governor who we are still making an effort to see.”
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Oladiji also confirmed the development.
“We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo State.
“We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee. More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State.”
The APC national chairman in his remarks thanked the Ondo lawmakers for subordinating themselves to the party national leadership.
He also commended the Aminu Masari team for its diligence in executing the assignment it has been saddled with.
Ganduje said: “First of all, I have to thank the Speaker and his members of state assembly for honouring our invitation to have indepth discussion and receive an interim report from the reconciliation committee
“We thank you for that. This is proof that you are real democrats, civilised and believe in conflict resolution. I have to thank everybody in the reconciliation committee which has experienced members, several senators, House of Representatives members and even the two-term governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari who joined us.
“I have to thank the State Assembly for agreeing to suspend the impeachment process and give room for a political solution to the problem. As the reconciliation chairman has mentioned, they didn’t meet the governor and his deputy yet. But they met all the stakeholders. That was what warranted the meeting today.
“And now, having suspended the impeachment process, they have created a conducive environment to continue dialoguing. We believe that we will reach a political solution. APC, as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy.
“Therefore, apart from our basic function for recruitment of membership, elected officers and appointed officers, it is our responsibility to see that all the ethics of democracy are followed and crisis averted in our government, both at sub national level and at international level. It is a political crisis and we are a political institution. So there’s no way we can fold our arms and see that our children are fighting and we allow them to go like that.”
The APC national chairman had earlier in the month constituted a nine-man reconciliation team with former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, as the chairman, to resolve the feud between the Deputy Governor and his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu.
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