The Court of Appeal in Ibadan on Tuesday fixed February 8 for the hearing of an appeal filed by Rauf Olaniyan, a former Oyo State Deputy Governor, challenging his impeachment by the State House of Assembly, News About Nigeria reports.
The first and second respondents in the appeal are the Oyo State House of Assembly and Clerk, with the Chief Justice of Oyo State, the Attorney-General, and Kayode Christopher as the third to fifth respondents.
Justice Yargata Nimpa, who chaired the appeal panel, fixed February 8 for the hearing after granting the application for a time extension of a brief of argument filed by counsel to the first and second respondents, Samuel Oyadoyin.
The panel equally granted the motion of the appellant’s counsel, Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, to deem the appellant’s reply brief of Nov. 23, 2023, as properly filed before the court.
The panel, however, had sought the opinion of the counsel for the third and fifth respondents, Mr O.A. Ogunniran, Director of Litigation in the State Ministry of Justice, on application extension, and his response was affirmative.
“The application for extension of time to file a brief of an argument of first and second respondents and the motion of the applicant is granted. The case therefore is adjourned to Feb. 8 for hearing,” Nimpa said.
On Jan. 9, 2023, Justice Bayo Taiwo of Oyo State High Court, in his verdict, declared the process of Olaniyan’s impeachment by the assembly as constitutional and, eventually, upheld the impeachment.
Unsatisfied, Olaniyan had pressed further with the appellate court, seeking to set it aside and nullify his impeachment for counteracting the constitutional provisions and thus lacking a fair hearing.
Olaniyan was impeached by the assembly over several allegations of financial recklessness, misconduct and insubordination, among others.
