Ondo State House of Assembly gives deputy governor seven days to account for missing N30m

MEMBERS of the Ondo State House of Assembly have given deputy governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa a seven-day ultimatum to respond to the corruption allegations levelled against him or face impeachment.

Over recent weeks, Mr Aiyedatiwa and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu have been at loggerheads with the spat between them getting more intense by the day.  There is now a real possibility that impeachment proceedings may begin soon as over the last week, the governor has been sacking officials appointed by his deputy.

Earlier this month, Governor Akeredolu returned from abroad having left country in June for medical treatment after his health suddenly deteriorated. However, since he returned, things have got very ugly as the governor has frowned on the activities of his deputy, who stood in for him while he was away.

On June 7, Governor Akeredolu wrote to the Ondo State House of Assembly asking it to transfer power to Mr Aiyedatiwa as acting governor while he was away. However, since the governor has returned, the assembly has begun investigating Mr Aiyedatiwa amid reports that he misappropriated funds while he was acting governor.

Hon Oshati Olatunji, the chairman of the House committee on information, said: “There are allegations against the deputy governor bordering on misappropriation of funds. We are duty bound as legislators to do our job, we are not witch-hunting anybody.

“This includes a N30m ($39,000) allegation and violation of the constitution. What we are saying is that he should give us a reply to these allegations within seven days.”