Ondo assembly serves impeachment notice on deputy governor

Agboola Ajayi

The Ondo State House of Assembly has served an impeachment notice on the embattled Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi.

The assembly commenced impeachment moves on Tuesday during plenary presided over by the speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun.

Mr Ajayi has been at loggerheads with the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, ultimately culminating in his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gbenga Omole, after the session, told journalists that 14 members attended the session while the House needed only nine members to give out the notice.

Journalists were barred from covering the proceedings.

“In fact only nine members of the 26 members are needed to sign the impeachment move but the House needs 18 to do the impeachment proper,” Mr Omole said.

“It is a process. We are at the first process. When the time comes the required 18 will sign the impeachment.”

Omole added that only few journalists were allowed into the assembly chamber in order to follow COVID-19 guidelines.

But, a member of the assembly, Festus Akingbaso, after the session, described the impeachment notice as unconstitutional, saying it would not stand because “it does not meet two-third of the House members required by law.”