Politics

Impeachment: Ondo Assembly Directs CJ to Constitute Panel

By Web News 461

The Ondo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, gave a fresh directive to the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The Assembly began the impeachment process against the Deputy Governor last week, serving him with a notice containing 14 allegations of gross misconduct.

The House, at the Tuesday plenary, said the Deputy Governor is yet to respond to the allegations.

The Majority Leader, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, therefore, moved a motion to direct the Chief Judge to set up a panel to commence Aiyedatiwa’s probe. The motion was seconded by Mr Felix Afe.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, who confirmed the alleged failure of Aiyedatiwa to respond to the allegations, said the letter of notice was received by the Chief Protocol Officer of the Deputy Governor on his ( Aiyedatiwa) behalf.

According to the Speaker, Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that the Assembly should wait for seven days for the Deputy Governor to respond, which had lapsed.

The Speaker said, “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 25th of September, a substituted service of the notice of allegations was made on the Deputy Governor duly signed by more than one-third honourable members of the House as required by the Constitution in Section 188(2).”

He added, “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.

“Distinguished colleagues, I, therefore, wish to seek your opinion to direct the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Honourable 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.”

The Deputy Governor had last week secured an interim order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining the Assembly from moving to impeach him.

The court also restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new Deputy Governor and forwarding the name to the lawmakers for approval pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

Punch/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko 

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Economy

Minimum wage: we are on same page with workers – Ondo Assembly

By Web News 617

The Ondo State House of Assembly has assured workers and leaders of the organized labour in the state that it would reject a bill seeking the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list of the nation’s constitution.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun gave the assurance in Akure while receiving a protest letter from the labour leaders to kick against the bill being sponsored by a lawmaker at the National Assembly.
According to Mr Oleyelogun, the wage bill if passed will further impoverish Nigerians workers, pledging that Ondo State lawmakers will ensure that minimum wage is not put in the concurrent list.
Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Sunday Adeleye-Oluwole and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Helen Odofin said moving minimum wage to concurrent list would lead to enslavement of Nigerian workers especially state and local government workers.
The labour leaders pleaded with the state lawmakers to reject the bill if transmitted to Ondo State.
Correspondent leke Adegbite reports that the workers protested from the Reuben Fasoranti Park, opposite Ministry of Finance, Alagbaka Akure to the State House of Assembly complex, Igbatoro Road in Akure.
 
Leke Adegbite 

Politics

Ondo Assembly Passes over N174 Billion Budget for 2021

By Web News 535

The Ondo State House of Assembly has passed the sum of one hundred and seventy-four billion, eight hindered and seventy-three million, three hundred and five thousand, five hundred and twenty-five naira, thirty kobo for the 2021 fiscal year.

Presenting the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation report to the lawmakers, the Chairman, Mr Sunday Olajide recommended that all MDAs with high expectation on revenue generation should be given the required support and impetus to achieve their targets.

Mr Olajide observed that some MDAs did not liaise with relevant agency to access correct information about their budget performance before coming up for their budget defense which he said was discouraging.

Speaking on the budget, the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun commended the committee for a job well done and prayed that no calamity befall the nation towards implementation of the 2021 budget.

The lawmakers also used the medium to welcome the four lawmakers who were suspended but were reinstated by court order.

The Speaker also used the medium to attach them to some house standing committees.

The Majority Leader, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi appealed to the lawmakers to bury their hatchets and work for the progress of the state and in the best interest of their constituents.

Olumide Abudu

Politics

N4.3bn Controversy: Ondo Assembly Acknowledges Receipt of Documents

By Web News 690

The Ondo State House of Assembly has acknowledged the receipt of documents from the State Accountant General relating to the controversial four point three billion naira.

The Chairman, House Committee on Public Account, Mr Samuel Edamisan disclosed this at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun.

Mr Edamisan, who alleged intimidations from some quarters, noted that the lawmakers would do the needful on the documents and informed the people of the state with their findings.

Reacting, the Speaker, Mr Oleyelogun maintained that the lawmakers were not witch hunting anyone with the investigation and had not indicted anyone.

Mr Oleyelogun stressed that the public should ignore insinuations in some quarters that the lawmakers were not in good terms with the Executive arm of government.

The Speaker, however announced a one month recess to allow the lawmakers prepare and sensitize their constituents on the forthcoming local government and governorship elections.

Olumide Abudu