Updated: Oyo assembly okays Bayo Lawal as deputy governor after Olaniyan impeachment

Bayo Lawal, a former Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, has been announced by the State House of Assembly as the a new deputy governor.

The lawmakers in the state gave the approval on Monday, after a committee report found Rauf Olaniyan, the ex-deputy governor guilty of misconduct and subsequently impeached him.

All the 23 PDP lawmakers at the plenary voted in support of the recommendations of the panel.

The state assembly had commenced impeachment proceedings against Olaniyan after he dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The allegations levelled against Olaniyan are gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of official duty, insubordination and among others.

Olaniyan’s removal was completed at the assembly’s plenary session on Monday after it adopted the report of a seven-man panel which was constituted by Munta Abimbola, chief judge of the state, to investigate allegations  levelled against the deputy governor.

Last month, Olaniyan announced that he would be leaving the Peoples Democratic Party to join the APC.

Governor Makinde on June 2 named Bayo Lawal, former attorney-general in the state and current chairman of the state housing corporation, as his running mate for the 2023 governorship election.