Ondo Assembly Agrees to Cease Fire, Suspends Aiyedatiwa’s Impeachment

•Ganduje, reconciliation committee broker truce 

•Akeredolu: I’m not returning to Germany for treatment

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure

After weeks of animosity, members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have agreed to suspend the impeachment process against the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The lawmakers agreed to end hostilities following the intervention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, after a reconciliation meeting held at the party secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja

In another development, Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has dismissed report that he was set to return to Germany for medical vacation, describing it as wicked and misleading.

However, at the truce meeting were members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the Aminu Bello Masari-led 9-man Reconciliation Committee, Ondo State party chairman, Ade Adetimilehin, and 18 of the 22 APC lawmakers led by Speaker Oladeji Olamide.

The impeachment process against Aiyedatiwa commenced after Akeredolu came back from his 90 days of medical leave.

But the timing of the impeachment had suggested that Akeredolu initiated the process to oust his deputy from office

The Deputy governor came under the threat of impeachment by the Assembly following allegations of gross misconduct.

Consequently, the Assembly served him notice of impeachment, which he also challenged in court, thus stalling the process.

Addressing a press conference after a closed door meeting, which lasted for about two hours at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, both Ganduje and the Assembly Speaker, Hon. Oladeji Olamide, confirmed the development to suspend the impeachment process.

Ganduje commended all the stakeholders in the crisis for allowing a political solution to the impasse in the state.

The chairman stressed that the decision by the lawmakers to ceasefire showed that they were democrats and committed party faithful.

“First of all, I have to thank the Speaker and his members of the State Assembly for honouring our invitation to have an in depth discussion and receive an interim report from the reconciliation committee.

“We thank you for that. This is proof that you are real democrats, civilised and believe in conflict resolution. I have to thank everybody in the reconciliation committee, which has experienced members, several senators, House of Representatives members and even the two-term governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari who joined us.

“I have to thank the State Assembly for agreeing to suspend the impeachment process and give room for a political solution to the problem. As the reconciliation chairman has mentioned, they didn’t meet the governor and his deputy yet. But they met all the stakeholders. That was what warranted the meeting today.

“And now, having suspended the impeachment process, they have created a conducive environment to continue dialoguing. We believe that we will reach a political solution. APC, as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy.

“Therefore, apart from our basic function for recruitment of membership, elected officers and appointed officers, it is our responsibility to see that all the ethics of democracy are followed and crisis averted in our government, both at subnational level and at international level.

“It is a political crisis and we are a political institution. So, there’s no way we can fold our arms and see that our children are fighting and we allow them to go like that,” Ganduje stated.

Speaker Olamide, said the Assembly was ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party, adding: “We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo State.

“We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee. More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State.”

Chairman of the reconciliation committee said the impeachment process has been suspended.

“For now, the probe and impeachment process have been suspended to allow room for the committee to work. We met with all stakeholders, except for the governor who we are still making an effort to see,” he said.

Meanwhile, Akeredolu, who denied returning to Germany for medical vacation, explained that the report was concocted and planted by drowning politicians, who were still nursing the pains of defeated expectations.

Akeredolu, who stated this in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said while the people of the state were happy with his safe return from medical vacation, this set of “embattled” politicians had been having sleepless nights gnashing their teeth in regrets of their failed evil plans.

“The story making the rounds is baseless, unfounded and only a figment of the imagination of evil-minded politicians. For us, we are committed to addressing the genuine concerns of the people of the state. This is why development is prioritized under the Akeredolu administration.

“Governance is not about showbiz, where the governor embarks on fashion parades at the market square to announce his presence in the state. We understand the importance of development as the major driver of peaceful, thriving and egalitarian society,” the statement read.

Akeredolu said his administration has consistently demonstrated its dedication to the state’s progress by recently, approving the recruitment of medical professionals and healthcare workers in demonstration of his commitment to enhancing the state’s healthcare system.