Kazeem Awojoodu, Ibadan.
Oyo State High Court has on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 has restrained members of state House of Assembly to maintain status quo over Impeachment process of the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan.
It was reported that the state House of Assembly barely two weeks ago sent an impeachment notice to the Deputy Governor who was alleged of financial recklessness, abandonment of office/official duty, insubordination among others.
Engr. Rauf Olaniyan (Claimant/Applicant) on Tuesday, June 28 2022 filled a court case, challenging his impeachment process and the case was presented to Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 7 of the Oyo State High Court.
In his rulling, Justice Ladiran ordered that the members of the State House of Assembly should maintained a status quo over the matter.
Justice Ladiran in his ruling after listened to the argument of both counsel restrained members of the state house of Assembly from taking further steps in their pursuit of their impeachment moves.
Earlier counsel to the complainant Afolabi Fashanu SAN urged the court to grant his application restraining the Oyo State House of Assembly in taking step further on the Deputy Governor’s impeachment process.
In his prayer Counsel to the defendant, A. A Olabiyi urged the court to give him time to respond to the application of the claimant, saying he was just served notice of the preliminary injunction on Tuesday.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the court sitting, Fashanu said, we filled two applications, but from the one that we come for today, the court gave an interim in-junction restraining the state House of Assembly over the impeachment move against the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan.
“When the case was called the defendant counsel indicated that he was served notice of the case on Tuesday(Yesterday) that he needed time to respond to the application of the claimant. But I immediately made an application to court to maintain on its status quo order so that this application will not be rendered treat invalid because of the court does not make the order, they might go behind and move ahead with the impeachment process.
“So I think Court did this in interests of justice, so the court has now ordered status quo to be maintained pending the interlocutory in-junction. Fashanu. said.
Justice Akintola however adjourned the case till Tuesday, July 5, 2022 for continuation of the hearing and to allow the counsel of the House of Assembly to respond properly on the matter.