The Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, has officially been sacked by the State House of Assembly.
Olaniyan’s removal followed the state Assembly’s adoption of the report of the seven-man panel constituted by the chief judge to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor at its plenary on Monday, July 18.
The report as read by the majority leader of the Assembly, Honourable Sanjo Adedoyin, the deputy governor was found culpable, indicted of all allegations, and complaints levelled against him.
The Assembly approved Olaniyan’s removal from office leaning on section 188(9) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
Meanwhile, Olaniyan was elected in 2019 on a joint ticket with the current Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) until his recent defection to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Earlier, Olaniyan had approached an Oyo High Court to stop the process instituted by the House of Assembly against him.
Twenty-four out of the 32 members of the State House of Assembly had, in a petition, accused the deputy governor of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office on official duty, insubordination and other offences.
This process, according to petitioners, was in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011 Section 188.
Investigation revealed, however, that the deputy governor had responded to all the allegations raised in the petition through his legal counsel.
Less than six hours after the removal of the Oyo state deputy governor, Mr Rauf Olaniyan by the state parliament, a replacement has been approved by the parliamentary house.
The approval came after Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin read a letter from Governor Seyi Makinde seeking the Assembly’s approval of his nomination of Lawal as the deputy governor.
Until his approval as deputy governor, Lawal was Chairman of Oyo State Water Corporation and nominated as Makinde’s running mate for the 2023 governorship election.
Lawal Bayo Lawal is from Kishi, Irepo local government area of Oke Ogun, Oyo state.
He is also a former Attorney General of Oyo state in 1999 under the administration of Governor Lam Adeshina.
Prior to the approval of Lawal as the new deputy governor, the impeached Olaniyan defected from the state-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the main opposition, the All Progressive Congress (APC).
This move however prompted the state parliament to hold plenary proceedings over Olaniyan's action in other to effect his removal.
It was, therefore, gathered that Olaniyan tabled the matter before an Oyo High Court to give a verdict that will halt plenary proceedings against him at the Oyo state parliamentary house.
However, the majority of the lawmakers in the parliament signed a petition against the embattled Olaniyan accusing him of gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, abandonment of office on official duty, insubordination and other offences.
As gathered, the petition was filed on the premise of the already existing stipulations of the federal constitution as amended in 2011 Section 188.
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