The Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola, has on Thursday inaugurated a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the State Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan.
The inauguration followed a letter received from the speaker directing him to constitute a panel to investigate the deputy governor.
It was gathered that Section 188 (5) gave him the mandate as Chief Judge of the state, to appoint a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations.
The use of the word ‘Shall’ in Section 188 (5) imposes a duty on the Chief Judge of Oyo State, to appoint a panel of seven persons.
The names of the 7-man committee set up to investigate Engr Olaniyan, over allegations leveled against him by the State House of Assembly are:
Chief Kayode Molade – Chairman
Chief Lawal Adekunle Dauda
Chief (Mrs) Wuraola Adepoju
Arc Adebisi Soyombo
Alhaji Tirimisiyu Akewusola Badmus.
Princess Olanike Olusegun and Rev (Fr) Patrick Ademola Akinjo are secretary and members.
The state assembly has given the panel three months to give its report.
It would be recalled that the Assembly had at its sitting in June served the Deputy Governor with a Notice of Impeachment, over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.
However, in the wake of development, the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan approached the lower court to stop his impeachment.
However, on Thursday, Justice Ladiran Akintola of an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan dismissed the suit filed by the deputy governor to stop the State House of Assembly from removing him from office.
Giving the judgement, the court held that the House of Assembly has not breached the provisions of the constitution on the removal of governor or deputy governor.
Meanwhile, Engr. Olaniyan has promised to head to the court of appeal to challenge the government.