The Ondo State House of Assembly said the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had failed to respond to the letter of notice served on him on Sept. 25 over allegations of gross misconduct.
The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, said the letter of notice was received on behalf of Mr Aiyedatiwa by his chief protocol officer.
Although Aiyedatiwa, had asked the Ondo State High Court to stop the Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him, pending the hearing and determination of his suit.
But speaking at the plenary session in Akure yesterday, Mr Oladiji said the house resolution that the deputy governor should be duly served a notice of the allegations was in line with Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution.
“Concerted efforts were made to serve the notice on the deputy governor, who for some time was not available for the service, prompting the House to approach the court for a substituted service on the deputy governor.
“On the 25th of September, a substituted service of the notice of allegations was made to the deputy governor, duly signed by more than one-third of the Honourable Members of the House as required by the Constitution in Section 188 Sub-section 2,” he stated.
According to him, the constitution stipulates that the assembly should wait for seven days for the embattled deputy governor to respond, which has lapsed.
The speaker directed the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to immediately set up a seven-man panel to investigate the deputy governor on the allegations levelled against him.
“Distinguished colleagues, Section 188 of the Constitution states further that the deputy governor has seven days within which to reply to the allegations levelled against him.
“The Constitution states further that within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the State shall, at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who, in his opinion, are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house, or political party, to investigate the allegation(s) as provided in this section.
“Distinguished colleagues, I, therefore, wish to seek your opinion to direct the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Hon. Justice Olusegun Odusola, to, in line with this section of the Constitution, set up a seven-man panel to investigate the deputy governor on the allegations levelled against him,” he said.
The House, with 23 out of 26 members available at the plenary session through voice vote, gave a nod for the chief judge to constitute the panel.