The Ondo State House of Assembly has agreed to suspend the ongoing impeachment process against the state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The deputy governor has been under the threat of impeachment by the State House of Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct and consequently served with notice of impeachment by the lawmakers.

In an effort to save his job, Aiyedatiwa went to both the State High Court sitting in Akure, and a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

In the ruling of the State High Court, Justice O. Akintan-Osadebay declined jurisdiction and blasted the embattled deputy governor for “forum shopping,” having instituted same case at the Federal High Court.

Aiyedatiwa had filed suit number AK/348/2023 at an Ondo State High Court September 25, praying the court to stop the impeachment proceedings at the House of Assembly.

The embattled deputy governor filed the suit a day after he secured an injunction from the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja suspending the impeachment process.

However, the setting up of a reconciliation committee by the national leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, appears to have yielded the right results.

Both Ganduje and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Oladeji Olamide, confirmed the development to suspend the impeachment process at a press conference Tuesday in Abuja, after a close-door meeting which lasted about two hours at the party secretariat in Abuja. 
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, chairman of the reconciliation committee and former governor of Kastina state, Masari, said: “For now, the probe and impeachment process have been suspended to allow room for the committee to work. We met with all stakeholders, except for the governor who we are still making effort to see.”

Admitting that the lawmakers were in Abuja at the instance of the APC national chairman, and the reconciliation committee, the Speaker said the state legislature was ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party.

He said: “We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo State. 

“We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee. More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State.”