By Chimezie Godfrey
A political organization under the aegis of Ondo State Conscience Movement has warned members of the Ondo State House of Assembly against being used as a political tool in the hands of the executive to achieve a predetermined objectives.
The warning came amidst moves by the lawmakers to impeach the State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over alleged corruption.
According to the organization, impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor must be conducted in strict accordance with the letters of the law and the clear constitutional provisions that govern the state.
The chairman of OCM, Shalom Olaseni, in a statement said that the legislature should not allow its hallowed chambers to be tainted with political witch-hunts or targeted vendettas as being rumoured in various quarters in the state.
The Ondo State House of Assembly began the process of impeachment of Aiyedatiwa, last week, as it wrote a letter to him, over alleged gross misconduct, while he was in office as an acting Governor.
The planned impeachment was stopped on Tuesday by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
While stating that ongoing political crisis was inimical and unproductive to the growth of the state, Olaseni wondered why those vested with political power abandoned governance to pursue personal vendettas and scores.
He said, “The alleged discord between the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu who recently returned from a protracted sick-leave abroad, and the Deputy Governor, stemming from the Deputy Governor’s alleged gubernatorial ambitions, should not be allowed to overshadow the pursuit of justice and adherence to constitutional principles.
“The powers vested in the legislature must be wielded with utmost consciousness of their representative capacity on behalf of the good people of Ondo State, rather than being exercised flimsily and on a whim. We further want to urge and impress on the Honourable members of the State House of Assembly to consider that the speed, focus, and determination with which the impeachment agenda is being pursued could have been more effectively channelled toward addressing the genuine issues of governance, which would better serve the ambitions of our state and its people.
“It is undeniable that in recent times, the governance of our beloved Ondo State has suffered a detrimental void since the onset of the ongoing rift within the corridors of power. This neglect has had a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. We condemn the lacuna in governance as needless and avoidable, and therefore call for an immediate refocus on matters that directly affect our state’s fortunes and the wellbeing of its people.
“We want to make it abundantly clear that the good people of Ondo State are the wiser for it and will not give their imprimatur and legitimacy to actions that stem from sinister motives aimed at settling personal political scores to the detriment of the state and its people. We therefore caution against the re-tooling of the Ondo State House of Assembly as the enforcement arm of executive whims, and assert that any such actions will be fought and resisted by the people.”
Olaseni also stressed the need to increased accountability in government and also a return to prioritizing issues that have a direct impact on our state’s prosperity and the welfare of our people.
“We reiterate our call for the full and unadulterated respect of our constitution and the assurance that constitutional powers will not be bent to serve narrow interests within our state.
“The Ondo State Consciousness Movement remains committed to ensuring that justice, transparency, and the rule of law prevail in our state. We call upon all stakeholders, both within and outside our state, to join us in this noble cause, safeguarding the principles that underpin our democracy and ensuring that Ondo State thrives as a beacon of good governance”, he added.
