Banner Online News

An Ogun State High Court has delivered a damning verdict against the Ijebu East Local Government Council and its Legislative Council, declaring the impeachment of former Chairman, Hon. Wale Adedayo, illegal, unlawful and a blatant abuse of power.

In a judgment that exposed gross procedural recklessness, the court voided the purported impeachment and slammed the defendants with ₦30 million in damages for what it described as an unlawful and malicious act.

Justice Catherine Ogunsanya, who presided over the case, held that the entire impeachment process was ultra vires, stressing that the defendants acted outside their legal powers and in clear violation of Sections 26, 37, 39 and 43 of the Ogun State Local Government Law, No. 37 of 2006.

The court found that Hon. Adedayo was brazenly denied his constitutional right to fair hearing, noting that he was neither properly served with the allegations against him nor given the opportunity to defend himself before the Legislative Council hurriedly passed five resolutions dated August 31, 2023.

Justice Ogunsanya further ruled that the Legislative Council flagrantly ignored Section 37(2) of the Local Government Law, which mandates that allegations must be served on the affected chairman within seven days before any impeachment action. This legal safeguard, the court held, was completely disregarded.

Consequently, the judge declared the resolutions of August 31, 2023, as well as the purported impeachment carried out on September 14, 2023, invalid, null and void.

In unequivocal terms, the court set aside the suspension and impeachment of Hon. Adedayo for violating the principles of fair hearing and the common law doctrine of audi alteram partem, describing the process as legally defective from start to finish.

As compensation for the illegal and malicious actions of the council and its legislative arm, the court awarded ₦30 million in general damages to Hon. Adedayo.

However, Justice Ogunsanya dismissed the suit against the Ogun State Governor, holding that no case was established against him in the matter.

The ruling stands as a stinging rebuke of arbitrary local government power and a clear warning that political vendettas dressed up as impeachment will not survive judicial scrutiny.