Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-dominated State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Olusegun Mimiko over alleged non-implementation of budgetary allocation.
It also accused the governor of deliberate killing of democratic institutions in local government areas.
APC, in a statement by its spokesman, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, said: “It is now peremptory for the Eighth Assembly lawmakers to commence the process of impeaching Governor Mimiko for misconduct, abuse of office and corruption.”
These acts, according to the party, have destroyed every sector, department, ministries and agencies in the state.
But the spokesman of the state PDP, Ayo Fadaka, described the call by APC as “petty and pedestrian”.
Fadaka explained that the inability of the state government to conduct local council polls was because of the suit instituted by the former state executive of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), which has just been dispensed off.
He said the alleged corruption levelled against the governor and some government officials has not been proved.
Fadaka added: “It is just a mere rumour”.
The APC said the call became imperative to salvage the state “from the imperial and dictatorial tendencies” of the governor, which, the party alleged, had plunged the state into serious indebtedness and untold hardship.
The statement reads: “The lawmakers must, as a matter of urgency and importance, and for posterity, impeach Mimiko from office as Ondo State governor for his inability to account for close to N1 trillion that has accrued to the state as monthly allocations, local government allocations and oil derivation fund; N44 billion inherited from his predecessor (late Dr. Olusegun Agagu) and over N70 billion loans incurred by his administration in the last six years.”
Adesanya urged the lawmakers to be exceptional and courageous in their determinations to rescue the state “from the claws of the governor”.
He added: “We are aware that the leadership of the House has not changed from the rubber-stamp Seventh Assembly, but the lawmakers must realise that they represent the electorate that have been impoverished by the anti-people policies and programmes of Mimiko-led government.
“We only advise you (honourable lawmakers) not to be dishonourable lawmakers by closing your eyes or pretend not to see all these atrocities committed and perpetrated by Mimiko to our dear state.”