The process was initiated during a plenary session on Wednesday.

 

SaharaReporters gathered that this was after the reading of a 5-point petition and notice of allegations against the deputy governor at the plenary presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin.

According to a copy of the petition dated June 9, 2022, seen by SaharaReporters, the lawmakers accused Mr Olaniyan of gross misconduct, abuse of power, financial recklessness, abandonment of office/official duty, insubordination and other offences.

The petition, which was addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, was signed by 24 lawmakers.

Hence, The Speaker instructed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Yetunde Awe to write the deputy governor mandating him to respond to the allegations within seven days.

The impeachment process followed the recent defection of the state deputy governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In 2021, SaharaReporters had reported that Oyo State would soon be embroiled in legal turmoil as a plot to impeach Olaniyan had been hatched.

Olaniyan’s defection came after his cold war with Governor Seyi Makinde assumed another dimension. Makinde and Olaniyan have been at loggerheads shortly after their election in 2019, with supporters of Olaniyan accusing Makinde of relegating his deputy governor to the background.