PDP faults Oyo deputy gov plans to stop impeachment

The Peoples Democratic Party has berated the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, for suing the state House of Assembly to stop the impeachment move against him.

He said the deputy governor’s move to use the court to stop the lawmakers from removing him after they had allegedly found him guilty of some offences violated the spirit of the Yoruba ‘omoluabi’ ethos.

The PDP publicity secretary in the state, Mr Akeem Olatunji, said this in a statement on Thursday.

The party, however, praised the state House of Assembly over its directive to the state Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola, to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against Olaniyan.

The party described the action of the lawmakers as the right move in the right direction.

The party maintained that as an educated individual who rose through the ranks until retirement while in the state civil service, Olaniyan should know better that the House of Assembly is constitutionally empowered and duty-bound in the interest of the general public to investigate any public office holder, institution, or government parastatal when the need arises.

The statement read in part, “No single individual should on account of the office they hold in trust for the general public feel or think they are above the law. A man without skeletons in his cupboard should not be afraid to open his cupboard.

“As a sitting deputy governor who should always be seen as an example of leadership to now be the one displaying sheer executive arrogance, rascality, and brazen disrespect for the legislative arm constitutionally saddled with the powers and responsibility of carrying out oversight functions, is unhealthy for the nation’s democracy.

“No amount of delay tactics deployed by Olaniyan to buy more time can prevent the state lawmakers from carrying out their statutory legislative duties or avert the course of justice.”

Meanwhile, the ruling party in Oyo state has also welcomed and commended defectors from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP, particularly, the lawmaker representing Ogo-oluwa/Surulere state constituency at the state House of Assembly, Simeon Oyeleke, and his supporters.

The party noted that both new entrants and old party members have equal rights and access to opportunities within the ruling party.