The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has berated the Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, over his refusal to respond to the allegations of financial impropriety and abandonment of office among others, levelled against him by the state legislature.
Recall the number two citizen of the state had approached the court to restrict the lawmakers from executing its constitutional functions to impeach him, saying such action fails to observe every atom of the Yoruba ‘omoluabi’ ethics.
In response, the Debo Ogundoyin-led State House of Assembly charged the State Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola, to form a 7-man panel to scrutinise the allegations levelled against the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan.
The Oyo PDP has since commended the action of the state assembly, depicting it as the right move in the right direction.
The party noted that the state legislative arm has risen in defence of democracy and performing its statutory legislative duty, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
In a press statement made available to newsmen on Thursday by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji, the party noted that: “The Deputy Governor, Olaniyan should understand that he who must go to equity must go with clean hands.”
The party maintained that as an educated individual who rose through the ranks until retirement while in the state civil service, Olaniyan should know better that the House of Assembly is constitutionally empowered and duty bound in the interest of the general public, to investigate any public office holder, institution, or government parastatal when the need arises.
The Oyo State PDP stated further that: “No single individual should on account of the office they hold in trust for the general public feel or think they are above the law.
“A man without skeletons in his cupboard should not be afraid to open his cupboard.
“As a sitting deputy governor who should always be seen showing example of leadership, to now be the one displaying sheer executive arrogance, rascality, and brazen disrespect for the legislative arm constitutionally saddled with the powers and responsibility of carrying out oversight functions, was unhealthy for the nation’s democracy”, it added.
The party however, maintained that no amount of delay tactics deployed by Olaniyan in what was described as a desperate move to buy more time, can prevent the state lawmakers from carrying out their statutory legislative duties or avert the course of justice, urging the deputy governor to stop insulting the sensibility of the good people of the state by trying to whip up mischievous religious sentiments to garner public sympathy.
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