Assembly confirms judge’s call for Aregbesola’s impeachment

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, said on Wednesday that the assembly had received a petition from Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, calling for the impeachment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola because of alleged financial recklessness.

Oloyede is a serving judge in the Osun State judiciary.

The judge’s petition read in part, “Consequently, the admitted inability of Mr. Governor and his deputy to pay pensions, salaries and allowances for periods ranging from eight to 11 months now as a consequence of their own decision to accumulate debts beyond the capacity of the state’s internally generated revenue, whilst the very ‘actors’, Mr. Governor and his deputy, continue to enjoy their security allowances in hundreds of millions, is a violation of their oaths of office.

“Their action in this respect is as illegal as it is immoral and unconscionable. It is an evidence of their inability to discharge the functions of their office. There is therefore no legal or moral basis for their continued stay in office.

“To this end and for this reason, I am sure other well-meaning and concerned members of the Osun community are hereby calling on honourable members of the state House of Assembly to pick up the gauntlet and redeem themselves, by giving effect to the provisions of Sections 128 and 129 of the Constitution, which empower them to investigate and bring to justice, all those who have corruptly enriched themselves at the expense of Osun and her people.’’

Salam, who confirmed to our correspondent in an interview on Wednesday that the assembly had received the petition, said the House would write a letter of acknowledgement to the petitioner and write the governor to defend himself against the allegations contained in the letter.

The Speaker said, “Yes, we received the petition and we acknowledged it. But there is nothing we can do now because of the strike. Workers’ strike is affecting our sittings.

“We will send a copy of the petition to the governor for his defence. We will deliberate on it by the time the strike is over.”

The Clerk of the House of Assembly also confirmed the receipt of the petition in a separate interview with our correspondent.

Oyeniran said, “It is true we received a petition and we are working on it.”

The Minority Leader, Mr. Oladejo Makinde, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, said he was not aware of the petition but said the House would deliberate on it by the time the lawmakers started sitting.

Efforts to get the governor’s reaction to this allegation were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, were not responded to.

Assembly confirms judge’s call for Aregbesola’s impeachment