By Allen Sowore, Esq.
Efforts to impeach the deputy governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, have hit a roadblock, with Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourning indefinitely the case filed by the embattled Deputy Governor against the State House of Assembly to halt the impeachment process against him. This decision, made on Friday, November 17, 2023, is due to an Appeal filed by the Ondo State House of Assembly against an ex parte Order of the same Federal High Court granted on September 26, 2023, aiming to stop the secret plot by Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN CON to remove his deputy through the State Assembly.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, is set to rule on the application for abridgement of time made by the appellants by 3:00 pm today, following arguments presented by counsels to both the appellants and respondents – Dr. Remi Olatubora SAN and Ebun Olu Adegboruwa SAN respectively.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite acknowledged the similarity of the reliefs sought in both the Court of Appeal and the lower court. He affirmed that the Court of Appeal’s decision, once determined, could potentially strip the Federal High Court of its jurisdiction. Engaging in a jurisdictional struggle with the Court of Appeal would be an act of judicial imprudence.
