15th June, 2022
By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju
The Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday threatened to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, after levelling five allegations against him.
About 24 lawmakers signed the petition, which was read during the plenary.
In the petition, entitled: “Petition and Notice of Allegations against the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan,” he was accused of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office and official duties, and insubordination.
“This is in accordance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended”) the petition read in part.
Lawmakers, who signed the petition, include Fadeyi Muhammed (Ona Ara), Onaolapo Sanjo (Ogbomosho South), Babalola Olasunkanmi (Egbeda), Adebisi Yussuf (Ibadan South-West I), Okedoyin Julius (Saki West) and Adebayo Babajide (Ibadan North II).
Others were: Kehinde Olatunde (Akinyele II), Olajide Akintunde (Lagelu), Mustapha Akeem (Kajola), Popoola Ademola (Ibadan South-East II), Owolabi Olusola (Ibadan North-East II), Olagoke Olamide (Ibadan North-East I), Olayanji Kazeem (Irepo/Olorunsogo) and Ojedokun Peter (Ibarapa North).
The remaining lawmakers were: Gbadamosi Saminu (Saki East/Atisbo), Mabaje Adekunle (Iddo), Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi (Ibadan South-West II), Akeem Adedibu (Iwajowa), Fatokun Ayo (Akinyele I), Rasak Ademola (Ibadan South-East I), Obadara Akeem (Ibadan North-West), Oyekunle Fola (Ibadan North I) and Adetunji Francis (Oluyole).
In his reaction shortly after the petition had been read by the Clerk of the assembly, Yetunde Awe, the Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin, said it met the two-thirds requirement to initiate the process.
Ogundoyin said that the assembly would give Olaniyan seven days within which to respond to the allegations.
Failure to do so within the period could lead to the commencement of an impeachment move against him.
“The window of response takes immediate effect and will lapse on Wednesday, June 22,” he said.
NAN