The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state has berated the deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan over his refusal to clear his name of allegations of financial impropriety, abandonment of office among others, levelled against him by the state legislature but resorted to approaching the court to restrain the lawmakers from performing its constitutional functions saying such action violates every atom of the Yoruba ‘omoluabi’ ethos.
The party however, praised the state House of Assembly over its directive to the state Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola to constitute a 7-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan describing it as the right move in the right direction.
The party said the move by the Adebo Ogundoyin led legislature indicates that the legislative arm has risen in defense of democracy and performing its statutory legislative duty as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
According to a press statement by the ruling party in Oyo state which was made available to newsmen by the PDP state Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji on Thursday July 7, 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.
Disappointed by Olaniyan’s refusal to respond to the allegations levelled against him by the legislature in a petition forwarded to him and instead approached the court for a restraining order, the ruling party described the act as clear show of disrespect for the legislative arm of government which the party said was nothing short of abuse of office.
The party stressed that what the House of Assembly has done was to protect the deputy governor’s right of fair hearing as provided for in the nation’s constitution. The party added that Olaniyan’s response the weighty allegations levelled against him would have unravelled more revelation that would help all concerned parties arrive at an informed and fair conclusion.
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”, saying “a man without skeletons in his cupboard should not be afraid to open his cupboard.”
The Oyo state PDP also said, “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.
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.
Meanwhile, the ruling party in Oyo state has also welcomed and commended defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the PDP, particularly, Honourable Simeon Oyeleke representing Ogo-oluwa/Surulere state constituency at the Oyo state House of Assembly and thousands of his supporters noting that both new entrants and old party members all have equal rights and access to opportunities within the ruling party.
Expressing confidence in a victorious outcome of the forthcoming 2023 general election, the PDP stated that APC has depleted to the point it should henceforth cease to be addressed as the main opposition party in the state stressing that every serious politician who is abreast with obvious reality as grassroots mobilizers know that there is no vacancy in Agodi Government House adding that 2023 has now gone beyond PDP or Seyi Makinde stressing that it is now a political project being championed by the people themselves across every household having seen the light after eight years of darkness and modern slavery between 2011 and 2019.
