An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has stopped the Oyo State House of Assembly from impeaching the Deputy Governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan.
In a ruling on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola barred any removal process the state assembly may want to initiate.
According to the judge, the assembly should maintain a status-quo pending the hearing of the application for interlocutory injunctions before it.
Recall that the case which came up on Tuesday was adjourned till Wednesday due to the absence of the legal counsel to the Oyo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House and Clerk.
Olaniyan had dragged the parties to court to seek an injunction to stop what he described as the “faulty process” of his impeachment.
Naija News recalls that 24 members of the assembly had commenced impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor.
This follows the petition against him brought to the attention of the House by some members of the assembly during plenary on Wednesday.
Some of the offences listed against Olaniyan by the lawmakers include gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office, official duty and insubordination.
Twenty-four out of the thirty-two members in the state assembly had signed the petition for impeachment against the Deputy Governor.
According to them, if Olaniyan fails to respond to the allegations against him, then impeachment proceedings will be initiated.
Olaniyan’s trouble started when he announced his defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
