The Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, has been removed by members of the State House of Assembly.
Olaniyan was removed on Monday by lawmakers following series of allegations against him.
He was elected in 2019 on a joint ticket with the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party but recently defected to the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress in the state.
The report of the panel set up to investigate him was read by the Majority Leader of the House, Sanjo Adedoyin, from Ogbomoso.
He was found culpable and indicted of all allegations and complaints levelled against him.
The Assembly dominated by PDP, approved Olaniyan’s removal from office leaning on section 188 (9) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
In June, Olaniyan dragged the Oyo Assembly to court over the impeachment move against him by the lawmakers, Punch reported.
The deputy governor was represented in court by his counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, in the case which came up before Justice Ladiran Akintola at the Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, on June 28.
The judge ordered that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, and the Clerk of the House be put on notice before he adjourned the matter to June 29.
On July 6, the Assembly directed the Chief Judge of the state to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct against Olaniyan, despite the order by the Oyo State High Court restraining the state House of Assembly from going ahead with the impeachment process.
However, the judge in a judgment delivered on July 14, held that the impeachment move initiated by the lawmakers had not violated the constitution in any way, thereby dismissing the suit
The court said the lawmakers substantially complied with the provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution on the removal process.
The court gave the lawmakers the go-ahead to continue with the impeachment process.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.