By EMMANUEL MOGBEDE

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday announced the suspension of the impeachment process against the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The lawmakers resolved to halt the impeachment process after a closed-door meeting with Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC leadership had set up a nine-man reconciliation committee led by the former governor of Kastina state, Aminu Masari, to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party in the state.

Aiyedatiwa had been under the threat of impeachment by the State House of Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct and had been served a notice of impeachment.

Addressing newsmen after the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about two hours, Ganduje and the State Assembly Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, announced the suspension of the impeachment process.

The meeting had in attendance members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), its Ondo State chairman, Ade Adetimehin and 18 out of the 22 APC lawmakers led by the Speaker.

Speaking after the meeting, the chairman of the reconciliation committee said: “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,” Masari said.

The Speaker of the Assembly, who explained that the lawmakers were in Abuja at the instance of Ganduje and the reconciliation committee, said that they were ready to cooperate with the party.

“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 party’s Ondo State chapter,” he said.

Ganduje while appreciating all stakeholders in the crisis for allowing political solution to the impasse, said the decision by the lawmakers to ceasefire showed they are democrats and committed party faithful.

He thanked the speaker and the lawmakers for honouring the invitation to have an indepth discussion and receive an interim report from the reconciliation committee.

“This is proof that you are real democrats, civilised and believe in conflict resolution.

“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 haven’t met the governor and his deputy yet, but they met all the stakeholders. That was what warranted today’s meeting.

“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,” Ganduje said.

He added that APC as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy.

He explained that apart from its basic function for recruitment of membership, elected officers and appointed officers, its responsibility is to see that democratic ethics are followed.

He added that it is also the responsibility of the party to ensure that crisis within its fold are averted both in its governed states, at sub national level and at international level.

He further said the crisis in the party’s Ondo State chapter is political, saying that as a political institution, it will not fold its arms and allow it to continue. (NAN)

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