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Ondo Assembly vows to continue impeachment process against deputy gov, despite court order

Published

8 months ago

September 27, 2023

Ondo State House of Assembly

Ondo Assembly vows to continue impeachment process against deputy gov, despite court order

Despite a court injunction, the Ondo State House of Assembly has vowed to resume impeachment procedures against Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The lawmakers instructed their attorneys to look into the order obtained by Mr Aiyedatiwa from the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the house from advancing with the procedure until the lawsuit filed by the deputy governor was resolved.

The House stated that its conclusion is informed by Section 188(2) (b) of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution (as amended).

The speaker, Olamide Oladiji, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure on Tuesday, said the House served Mr Aiyedatiwa the notice of allegation of gross misconduct on Monday, within seven days after the notice was presented to him (Mr Oladiji).

He said the notice was signed by 11 members of the House, which is more than one-third of the members required under Section 188(2) of the constitution.

“The impeachment notice contains Fourteen (14) specific allegations of gross misconduct with detailed particulars to which the Deputy Governor is expected to react to not later than Seven (7) days from the day he was served,” Mr Oladiji said in the statement.

“Hitherto, the House has refrained from publishing the allegations because of the need to accord the Deputy Governor the courtesy of being served with the notice, first.”

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Mr Oladiji said the lawmakrs were shocked when they learnt that the deputy governor had gone to court to secure an injunction from “a certain Judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to halt the process.”

Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa

“The House is shocked that rather than wait to be served with notice of the allegation of gross misconduct, and react to same as required by the constitution, the deputy governor has been running from pillar to post and filing multiple suits in both at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the Ondo State High Courts in a bid to stop the legislative process,” the speaker said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the House is fully conscious of Section 188 (10) of the Constitution which clearly states that ‘No proceedings or determination of the panel or of the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court.’

“In the case of Abaribe V. Abia State House of Assembly (2022) 14 NWLR (Pt. 788) 466, the Court of Appeal emphatically stated that it was wrong for the Appellant to jump the gun by rushing to the Court to stop his impeachment process on the ground of alleged breach of fair hearing when the panel to investigate and hear him had not even been constituted. The Court of Appeal then restated that by the provision of Section 188 (10) of the Constitution, no court has the jurisdiction at that stage to interfere in the legislative proceedings for impeachment.

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly restated that the Court can only intervene when the procedures for impeachment have been breached. In this case, however, the deputy governor rushed to court even before the notice of impeachment was served on him. For the records, no procedures have been breached in any way.

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“In view of these, the House has directed its team of lawyers to investigate the purported injunction secured by the deputy governor and report any judicial officer who might have abused his office in granting the unconstitutional ex-parte injunction to the appropriate institution for necessary disciplinary action.

“In conclusion, the House wishes to assure the general public that it would proceed with the legislative process to a logical conclusion, but in doing so, will strictly follow the Constitutional procedures.

“The House will not abdicate or compromise its sacred constitutional duty to hold elected public officers accountable, particularly where there are prima facie serious allegations of corruption and abuse of power levelled against the Deputy Governor in this case.”

The house had earlier directed the chief judge of the state to constitute a panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations against the deputy governor.

However, the federal high court order restrained the House from proceeding further in the impeachment of the deputy governor pending the determination of a substantive suit before it.

It also restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a replacement and forwarding same to the assembly for ratification.

Those joined in the suit were the Inspector General of Police, State Security Security Services, Governor of Ondo State, the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Ondo State.

The judge also gave an order restraining the respondents from harassing, intimidating or preventing the deputy governor from performing his official duties.

The case was adjourned to 9 October for consideration.

Ondo Assembly vows to continue impeachment process against deputy gov, despite court order

(PremiumTimes)

Related Topics:Featured impeachment Ondo assembly

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UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

Published

44 mins ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

In a significant boost to Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received international recognition for its tireless work in tackling corruption.

Baroness Verma Sandy of Leicester, a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, has commended the EFCC for its dedication to fighting corruption and promoting good governance in Nigeria.

During a visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Baroness Verma Sandy praised the Commission’s new leadership under Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for repositioning the organization on the path of professionalism and effectiveness.

She expressed confidence that the EFCC’s efforts would help change the global perception of Africa and build new confidence in the continent.

The Baroness, who led a six-man delegation of the UK-based African Leadership Organisation, acknowledged the EFCC’s efforts in shaping better narratives for Nigeria and praised the Commission’s innovative approaches to tackling corruption.

She emphasized the importance of international collaboration in the fight against corruption and encouraged the EFCC to continue its good work.

Sandy said: “We are so glad to be here. It is important having this organization led by somebody who has brought incredible positive changes to the country. And I want to thank all of your colleagues here for engaging with us today. I believe passionately on the strength of the African Continent. I am not connected at all to Africa, but I have been a champion for a continent that has under-estimated its own strength but has got so much to offer the world. And I think your organization will help change the perceptions and build new confidence. So, I am so pleased and honoured to be here.”

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EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olukoyede, thanked the Baroness and her delegation for identifying with the Commission and acknowledging its efforts.

He reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to tackling corruption and promoting good governance, emphasizing that corruption is a major obstacle to Africa’s development.

He highlighted the Commission’s new focus on prevention and addressing systemic issues that enable corruption, as well as its efforts to stimulate economic growth and prevent foreign exchange sharp practices.

The EFCC Chairman also applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the liberty of operation accorded to the Commission, enabling it to pursue its mandate without interference.

He emphasized the importance of political will in the fight against corruption and praised the President’s support for the EFCC’s efforts.

Olukoyede said, “On behalf of the entire management of EFCC, we are glad to have you in our midst. I want to thank you for identifying with what we do. You have an interest in Africa and I want to tell you that Africa has great potential. The major problem is bad governance. We need good governance to channel our human and natural resources rightly and bring Africa on top of the world.

“That is what people like us are advocating using the instrumentality of law enforcement and anti-corruption fight. Corruption is something we have to deal with. Every challenge we face in our daily life, insecurity, bad governance, lack of infrastructural development are all linked to corruption.

“Upon my assumption of office, I said I will use the instrumentality of the anti-corruption fight to stimulate growth in the economy because while enforcing laws against financial crimes, we also enforce against economic crimes. Anything can vitiate economic and infrastructural development, we are empowered by law to investigate it and bring the offenders to book. In this part of the world, you have to be courageous in order to realize your mandate. One thing that is going for us is the political will of the president. The government in power is supporting us and not interfering in what we do.

“We have tried to bring some innovations in the way we do things. Traditionally, the EFCC has been concentrating more on investigation and prosecution, and I discovered that the more we do that, the tougher the problem becomes. We are now trying to shift our focus, not necessarily away from enforcement, but we are looking more on the paths of prevention. We are looking more at the cause of the problems.

“Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with Nigerians. Nigerians are good people. Given they find themselves outside the country and given the right ecosystem, you see Nigerians perform excellently well. We are looking into our systems; we are looking into our structures; we are looking into what actually allows corruption to fester in addition to making people account for their bad deeds while in office. So, we concentrate more on prevention now.

“What we deal with is white collar crime, which is non-violent. So we want people to own the fight. When you see something, you say something.”

UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

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We’re impressed by Tinubu’s security strategies – UK Govt

Published

54 mins ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery

We’re impressed by Tinubu’s security strategies – UK Govt

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, has said the United Kingdom is impressed by the security strategies President Tinubu has put in place, even as he restated the support of the United Kingdom for the Nigerian government in this direction, including transparency and accountability in governance.

In his goodwill message, during a High-level Dialogue on Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda on the theme, “Nigeria’s Global Ambitions: From Hope to Reality,” in Abuja, Richard Montgomery commends Tinubu’s agenda for its focus on priorities and delivery.

“I’d like to use this opportunity to express the whole lot of support of my government to the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu. We commend his agenda for its focus on priorities and delivery. We acknowledge that you have done a lot to put in place transparency and accountability.”

Also, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, while declaring the forum open, extended warm appreciation to participants, noting that their presence underscored the importance of the efforts towards advancing Nigeria’s economic agenda under President Tinubu.

She stated that the gathering, initiated by the Office of the Vice President, highlights the role of the international corporation in delivering the remarkable goals of the President’s laudable Renewed Hope Agenda.

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Also, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, commended the stakeholders’ efforts led by Vice President Shettima which led to the convening of the high-level forum to mark the first year anniversary of the Tinubu Administration.

He said the gathering was both to reflect on the last year and look ahead to the next three years, emphasizing the role of the International Corporation in achieving Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

On his part, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, said the past year marking President Tinubu’s one year in office had been successful despite being challenging, assuring that the Tinubu-led government is an administration that will renew the hope of Nigerians.

Noting that the event highlighted the importance of international cooperation, Bagudu thanked VP Shettima for gracing the occasion, saying, “Not surprisingly, you chose to come in person to show importance, particularly to partners in the diplomatic and development world, that Nigeria appreciates them and that international cooperation is important to us and it is rooted in our constitution, is rooted in our development plans and is rooted in our Renewed hope agenda.

“Not surprisingly, Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Vice President Kashim Shetiima, over the last one year, have engaged globally and locally with institutions that represent development partnership, multilateral institutions, and bilateral institutions, consistent with our development agenda”.

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, represented by Senior Special Assistant to the President on International Cooperation, Mr. Dapo Oyewole, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to long-lasting partnership with the global community.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign policy will continue to accommodate the interests of all Nigerians and ensure mutual and beneficial partnerships with all nations,” Oyewole said.

Oyewole added that Nigeria will continue to work to unlock all hidden economic treasures in the country.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, said the event marked a critical reflection point for all who have explored optimally to harness international corporations in achieving the noble goals of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Expressing delight with the theme of the dialogue, “Leveraging International Cooperation to Enhance Trade, Investment and Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” he said the Bank of Industry has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of strategic partnership in driving economic growth and fostering inclusive development under the Tinubu administration.

Also in attendance were Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kenedy Ohaneye; European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. Samuel Isopi; Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and Head of Central Delivery Unit, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission; and Acting Country Director of World Bank, Nigeria.

We’re impressed by Tinubu’s security strategies – UK Govt

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Don’t involve Bello’s children in corruption fight, rights group tells EFCC

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Don’t involve Bello’s children in corruption fight, rights group tells EFCC

The Child’s Rights Advocacy Network (CHILDRANE) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to leave out the children of former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, from the probe of N80 billion money laundering charges it has levelled against him.

The spokesperson, CHILDRANE, Emmanuel Abah, during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, denounced the breach of privacy and other safeguards of Bello’s children via repeated references to them in EFCC’s press conferences and statements.

Abah emphasised the need to protect children’s rights during legal processes.

He warned that “Nigerian child, our hope of any meaningful tomorrow as a nation, were now increasingly an endangered species.

”The EFCC had confirmed the receipt of the refund of $760,000 paid as advance school fees by Bello for his children at the American International School, Abuja.

The school had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.

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But Abah condemned the action of the school for publicly disclosing her refund of the school fees paid for the children by their family to the EFCC, especially as the action potentially violated the judgment in a case by the Bello family in which the school was a party, while summarily jeopardising the well-being of children to whom she owed a direct duty of care.

While acknowledging the EFCC’s mandate, Abah argued that targeting children to gain leverage over their caregivers, in this case their father, was unethical and illegal.

He said: “The claimed EFCC’s actions can be seen as a violation of due process, the presumption of innocence, and a cause of lasting psychological trauma to the children.”

He called on the EFCC to cease actions targeting Bello’s children, adhere to due process always, and try to provide child protection training for its operatives in law enforcement situations.

Abah also urged the Bello family to seek counselling and legal support for their children to ameliorate lasting damage to their personalities and file complaints with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to ensure redress.

He also called on President Bola Tinubu to order an investigation into the EFCC’s actions, condemn any tactics that endanger children, and take disciplinary measures against any EFCC personnel found to have violated children’s rights.