The Oyo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, began the process of impeaching the deputy governor of the state, Mr Rauf Olaniyan.

This followed the reading of a 5-point petition and notice of allegation against the deputy governor at Wednesday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin.

Allegations raised against the deputy governor are gross misconduct, abuse of abuse, financial recklessness, abandonment of office/official duty, insubordination and other offences.

The petition addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly was signed by 24 lawmakers.

The Speaker subsequently directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Yetunde Awe to write the deputy governor mandating him to respond to the allegations within seven days.

The process of impeachment is apparently a sequel to the recent defection of the state deputy governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The petition entitled, “Petition And Notice of Allegations of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Engineer Rauf Olaniyan,” read:

“Consequent upon listed below, we the under listed elected Honourable members of the 9th assembly hereby allege the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Eng. Rauf Olaniyan of the following allegations:

“Gross misconduct, Abuse of office, Financial recklessness, Abandonment of office, official duty, insubordination and other offences.

“This is in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011, Section 188.”

The PDP lawmakers that signed the petition are Fadeyi Muhammed (Ona Ara), Onaolapo Sanjo (Ogbomosho South), Babalola Olasunkanmi (Egbeda), Adebisi Yussuf (Ibadan Southwest 1), Okedoyin Julius (Saki West) and Adebayo Babajide (Ibadan North 2).

Others are Kehinde Olatunde (Akinyele 2), Olajide Akintunde (Lagelu), Mustapha Akeem (Kajola), Popoola Ademola (Ibadan South East 2), Owolabi Olusola (Ibadan North East 2), Olagoke Olamide (Ibadan North East 1), Olayanji Kazeem (Irepo/Olorunsogo), Ojedokun Peter (Ibarapa North/Centre).

Others are Gbadamosi Saminu (Saki East/Atisbo), Mabaje Adekunle (Iddo), Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi (Ibadan Southwest 2), Akeem Adedibu (Iwajowa), Fatokun Ayo (Akinyele 1), Rasak Ademola (Ibadan South East 1), Obadara Akeem (Ibadan North West), Oyekunle Fola (Ibadan North 1), Adetunji Francis (Oluyole)