Defection: Oyo Assembly Begins Process to Remove Deputy Governor

Kemi Olaitan

The Oyo State House of Assembly has begun moves to remove the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At the plenary of the House Wednesday, five allegations against him and signed by 24 lawmakers, were read by the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Yetunde Awe.
According to the petition, the lawmakers accused the deputy governor of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office and official duty, insubordination and other offences.
Only lawmakers, journalists and house officials were allowed into the hallowed Chamber to witness the plenary.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, in his reaction, said the petition meets the two-thirds requirements to initiate the process.
According to him, the House would give the deputy governor a seven-day grace period to respond to the allegations, adding that failure to do so can lead to the commencement of his removal.
The seven days’ window of response takes immediate effect and would lapse on Wednesday, June 22.
The petition signed by the PDP lawmakers and entitled ‘Petition And Notice of Allegations of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Engineer Rauf Olaniyan’, read in part: ”Consequent upon listed below, we the under listed elected Honourable members of the 9th assembly hereby allege the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Eng. Rauf Olaniyan, with the following allegations:
“Gross misconduct; abuse of office; financial recklessness; abandonment of office and official duty; insubordination and other offences.
“This is in accordance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011, Section 188.”
The lawmakers and constituencies that signed the petition included Fadeyi Muhammed (Ona Ara), Onaolapo Sanjo (Ogbomosho South), Babalola Olasunkanmi (Egbeda), Adebisi Yussuf (Ibadan Southwest 1), Okedoyin Julius (Saki West) and Adebayo Babajide (Ibadan North 2). Others were Kehinde Olatunde (Akinyele 2), Olajide Akintunde (Lagelu), Mustapha Akeem (Kajola), Popoola Ademola (Ibadan South East 2), Owolabi Olusola (Ibadan North East 2), Olagoke Olamide (Ibadan North East 1), Olayanji Kazeem (Irepo/Olorunsogo), and Ojedokun Peter (Ibarapa North/Centre).
Also Gbadamosi Saminu (Saki East/Atisbo), Mabaje Adekunle (Iddo), Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi (Ibadan Southwest 2), Akeem Adedibu (Iwajowa), Fatokun Ayo (Akinyele 1), Rasak Ademola (Ibadan South East 1), Obadara Akeem (Ibadan North West), Oyekunle Fola (Ibadan North 1) and Adetunji Francis (Oluyole) signed the petition.