Reprieve yesterday came the way of the embattled deputy governor of Ondo State, Mr Lucky Ayiedatiwa following the resolve by the state House of Assembly to suspend the ongoing impeachment process against him. The decision followed a closed door meeting between members of the state House of Assembly led by Mr Oladeji Olamide and the Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje led national working committee (NWC) of the party held at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
Also in attendance at the parley that lasted two hours were the Aminu Bello Masari-led 9-man Reconciliation Committee, and the Ondo state APC chapter chairman, Ade Adetimilehin. The Chairman of the reconciliation committee and former governor of Kastina, Masari who spoke to reporters at the end of the party however admitted that they were yet to meet with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on the matter.
According to him: “For now, the probe and impeachment process have been suspended to allow room for the committee to work. We met with all stakeholders, except for the governor who we are still making effort to see.” Admitting that that the lawmakers were in Abuja at the instance of the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the reconciliation committee, the Speaker of the state assembly, Oladeji Olamide, said the State House of Assembly was ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party.
He said: “We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo State. “We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee. More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State.”
While appreciating all the stakeholders in the crisis for allowing political solution to the impasse in the state, national chairman, Ganduje said the decision by the lawmakers to ceasefire showed that they are democrats and committed party faithful. Ganduje said: “First of all, I have to thank the speaker and his members of state assembly for honouring our invitation to have indepth discussion and receive an interim report from the reconciliation committee.
“We thank you for that. This is proof that you are real democrats, civilized and believe in conflict resolution. I have to thank everybody in the reconciliation committee which has experienced members, several senators, House of Representatives members and even the two-term governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari who joined us.
“I have to thank the State Assembly for agreeing to suspend the impeachment process and give room for political solution to the problem. As the reconciliation chairman has mentioned, they didn’t meet the governor and his deputy yet. But they met all the stakeholders. That was what warranted the meeting today.
“And now, having suspended the impeachment process, they have created a conducive environment to continue dialoguing. We believe that we will reach a political solution. APC, as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy.
“Therefore, apart from our basic function for recruitment of membership, elected officers and appointed officers, it is our responsibility to see that all the ethics of democracy are followed and crisis averted in our government, both at sub national level and at international level.
“It is a political crisis and we are a political institution. So there’s no way we can fold our arms and see that our children are fighting and d we allow them to go like that.”
Source: The Guardian
