Chief Judge Fails To Raise Impeachment Panel Against Fayose

The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, has yet to constitute a panel to investigate Governor Ayodele Fayose and his deputy, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, over allegations raised in the impeachment notice against them by the 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers.


The embattled Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, had directed the CJ to raise a seven-man panel to investigate allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches against the governor.

Omirin, the leader of the 19 APC lawmakers in an April 9 letter had urged Justice Daramola to raise the panel within seven days of receipt of the letter.

But the factional Speaker and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party caucus, Dele Olugbemi, in a counter-directive had asked the CJ to ignore the letter.However, two weeks after, the CJ has yet to raise the panel as directed.

The Chief Judge had not acknowledged receipt of the letter two weeks after it was issued.

Confirming this to The Punch on Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State High Court, Mr. Obafemi Fasanmi, maintained that he was not aware of the letter directing the CJ to raise any panel.

“I’m not aware of any letter sent to the CJ requesting for composition of a panel. The CJ has also not acknowledged that he had received any letter,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the APC lawmakers are set on a collision course as the two have openly disagreed on the impeachment proceedings.

While the monarchs have opposed the impeachment plot, saying the people should be allowed to enjoy the mandate “freely” given to the governor, the party accused them of bias in the handling of the crisis.

In a statement issued by the Chairman and Onitaji of Itaji, Oba Adamo Babalola, the council commended the Chief Judge for “rising above partisan positions to uphold the tenet of his office despite obvious pressure from interested quarters.”