The Ondo State House of Assembly announced the suspension of the impeachment process against Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Tuesday, October 17, 2023.
This decision followed a closed-door meeting with Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The APC leadership, led by Ganduje, had established a nine-man reconciliation committee, chaired by former Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari, to reconcile all aggrieved members within the party in Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa had faced the looming threat of impeachment over allegations of gross misconduct, having received an official notice of impeachment from the State House of Assembly.
Addressing reporters after the two-hour closed-door meeting, Ganduje, accompanied by State Assembly Speaker Olamide Oladiji, announced the suspension of the impeachment process. The meeting saw the participation of members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Ondo State chairman Ade Adetimehin, and 18 out of the 22 APC lawmakers led by the Speaker.
Chairman of the reconciliation committee, Aminu Masari, stated, “For now, the probe and impeachment processes 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.”
Speaker Oladiji reiterated the Assembly's commitment to cooperation, stating, “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 will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. This is the only political solution that will help resolve the crisis in the party’s Ondo State chapter.”
Ganduje expressed his gratitude to all stakeholders for choosing a political solution to the crisis. He commended the State Assembly for suspending the impeachment process, creating a conducive environment for continued dialogue.
He emphasised the importance of the APC as an institution indispensable to democracy, stating, “We believe that we will reach a political solution.”