Aiyedatiwa: Ganduje inaugurates nine-man reconciliation committee

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Friday inaugurated a nine-man trouble shooting team to reconcile embattled Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa with his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari is the leader of the team which has Honourable Abbas Garba as Secretary.

Giving the terms of reference of the Reconciliation team on Friday, the APC National Chairman said they must interface and engage with all contending partner(s) with a view to gathering facts and circumstances surrounding the lingering impeachment process of the Ondo State Deputy Governor; to advise the Party on the most amicable ways of handling the lingering issues leading to the impeachment process of Ondo State Deputy Governor and finally, make necessary recommendations to the Party on resolution of issues and any other matter that may come up in the course of the assignment.

Giving his acceptance speech, the former Katsina State Governor, who noted that the Ondo State Chapter of the Party has an agenda different from the APC national secretariat, tasked the party national chairman to ensure that the reconciliation team was not undermined by the state chapter.

He said: “Our committee will look at issues dispassionately. We will put in the best in working for the party.

“Our task is working with the party to achieve the objectives set for us in terms of reference given to us.

“And I want to appeal to the national chairman, if it is possible, to issue directives to APC in Ondo to stay any further action until we submit our report because if the committee is working and APC in Ondo is doing the same thing we may have an assignment that is dead on arrival.”

Ganduje disclosed that the Committee has one week after its inauguration to submit its recommendations.

Tribune Online checks revealed that the Ondo State House of Assembly has given indication to proceed with the impeachment of the Deputy Governor following his refusal to respond to allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by some lawmakers. The seven days notice given to Honourable Aiyedatiwa has since lapsed.

Further checks revealed that there is a subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining the House from proceeding with the impeachment until the court determines a suit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa.

But the House has said the court cannot stop the exercise, as it submitted that its stance to proceed with the impeachment is protected by the Nigerian Constitution against the interference of courts.

The House also responded to another suit filed by Mr Aiyedatiwa before the State High Court, describing it as an abuse of court process.

Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, insisted that “the impeachment process would continue in line with the 1999 Constitution since the deputy governor failed to respond within seven days stipulated by the law.”