Sacked Oyo Deputy Gov, Olaniyan Reacts To Panel Report That Found Him Guilty

The impeached Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan has reacted to the report of the seven-man panel which recommended his removal from office.

Naija News earlier reported that members of the assembly impeached Olaniyan on Monday around 11.30 am during the house plenary, noting that the impeachment takes immediate effect.

This follows the reading and adoption of the recommendations of a report of the seven-man panel set up by the State Chief Judge, Munta Abimbola to investigate allegations levelled against the deputy governor.

The report was read on the floor by the Majority Leader of the House, Sanjo Adedoyin and Olaniyan was found guilty of all the charges against him.

Speaking about the verdict, Olaniyan in a statement by his lawyer on Monday faulted the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola, over the constitution of the seven-man panel, alleging that the panel raised to investigate him was paid to do what they did.

He described the panel as a charade, adding that it’s unfortunate that the panel members allowed themselves to be used to do a dirty job.

The statement read, “The investigation by the committee set up by the Honorable Chief Judge is a charade that cannot stand the test of time. In the first instance, the Honorable Chief Judge, with respect, breached his oath of office by ignoring the service of notice of appeal and application for injunction pending appeal when he proceeded to constitute the investigation committee.

“This is against established law and practice. On the part of the panel, they were appointed and paid to do bodge job, which must be contrary to good conscience.

“They served the Deputy Governor on Friday around 10:45 am and asked him to appear at 11.am. We wrote to inform them that His Excellency needed time to prepare for his defence, in their desperation to do the job for which they were paid, they rejected the letter, sat on Saturday and completed their task the same day.

“Where is the fairness here? The members of the committee are supposed to be men above board. You have a Reverend father, a Jerusalem Pilgrim, and an Alhaji among them. This is a clear evidence that we are not yet ripe for democratic practice.”