Ondo Court Halts Move To Probe Allegations Against Aiyedatiwa

By Rita Elenwo

The Chief Judge, CJ of the Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, has stepped down the process of setting up a seven-man investigation panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct, levelled against embattled Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The state’s House of Assembly had written the Chief Judge, asking him to constitute the panel, in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended

But the CJ, in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, cited Section 287 (3) of the Constitution as reason he cannot act on the letter from the House.

Justice Odusola said he was barred from performing the function by an order of the Federal High Court.

“I am not unmindful of Section 188(10) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, which provides as follows: ‘No proceedings or determination of the Panel or the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court’.

“Notwithstanding the above provision, a court order is binding until it is set aside, either by a court of competent jurisdiction or by an appellate court.”

It was gathered that Justice Odusola communicated his position on the festering issue to Speaker Oladiji, as the seven-day deadline handed down to him by the state legislature expired on Tuesday.