Oyo Assembly Begins Process Of Impeaching Deputy Governor

Twenty-four members of the Oyo State House of Assembly in South-West Nigeria begin constitutional process to remove embattled Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan from office.

This follows the submission of five-point allegations of gross misconduct against him by 24 out of the 33 state lawmakers

The Deputy Governor is accused of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office and official duties and insubordination.

The notice of allegations was read by the Clerk of the Assembly, Oludara Awe, who also read out the names of the 24 lawmakers that appended their signatures on the petition.

The Assembly thereafter invoked Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to unanimously agree that the Deputy Governor be given a seven-day ultimatum to respond to the allegations against him.

Olaniyan recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on which he was elected with Governor Seyi Makinde in 2019 to the All Progressives Congress, APC. His defection came shortly after he was not nominated by Governor Makinde as running mate for the 2023 election.

There are only five APC lawmakers in the 33-member Oyo State House of Assembly that has 26 PDP members and a legislator from the African Democratic Party, ADP.

The notice of allegations reads:

“PETITION AND NOTICE OF ALLEGATION OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY ENGINEER RAUF OLANIYAN

RT.HON. SPEAKER SIR,

Consequent upon listed below, we the under listed elected Honourable members of the 9th assembly hereby allege the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Engr. Rauf Olaniyan with the following allegations:

Gross misconduct

Abuse of office

Financial recklessness

Abandonment of office, official duty

Insubordination and other offences.

This is in accordance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011. Section 188.”

The lawmakers who appended their signatures on the petition are:

Names and signatures of Honourable members in agreement to impechment of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Eng. Rauf Olaniyan are:

HON. FADEYI MOHAMMED A.

HON. ONAOLAPO SANJO A

HON. BABALOLA OLASUNKANMI. S

HON. ADEBISI YUSUF O

HON. OKEDOYIN FEMI J.

HON. ADEBAYO BABAJIDE G.

HON. KEHINDE OLATUNDE

HON. OLAJIDE AKINTUNDE E.

HON. ADEOLA BAMIDELE O.

HON. MUSTAPHA AKEEM O.

HON. POPOOLA ADEMOLA O.

HON. OWOLABI OLUSOLA A.

HON. OLAGOKE OLAMIDE

HON. OLAYANJU KAZEEM O.

HON. OJEDOKUN PETER. G

HON. GBADAMOSI SAMINU R.

HON. MABAJE ADEKUNLE R.

HON. OLUWAFOWOKANMI FEMI O.

HON. HAKEEM ADEDIBU

HON. FATOKUN AYOTUNDE O.

HON. RASAK ADEMOLA

HON. OBADARA AKEEM.O

HON. OYEKUNLE FOLA S.

HON. ADETUNI FRANCIS