Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have commenced an impeachment process against Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The process was initiated during plenary on Wednesday.

Peoples Gazette reports that a petition was also signed by lawmakers of the state House of Assembly.

The petition, including a notice of allegations against the Ondo deputy governor, was addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, who presided over the plenary.

Mr Oladiji later instructed the Clerk of the House, Jaiyeola Benjamin, to write formally to Aiyadatiwa with a view for him to respond swiftly to the allegations against him.

The lawmakers also gave the deputy governor seven days ultimatum to respond to the allegation.

At the plenary, the majority leader of the assembly, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi moved a motion to serve the deputy governor in the impeachment process.

Mr Ogunmolasuyi quoted session 188 of the Nigerian Constitution to back the motion, citing the need to write the deputy governor over allegations.

His motion was immediately seconded by a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the assembly, Tope Angbulu, representing Akoko Southwest II.

A source in the assembly who spoke to The Gazette revealed that at least 23 lawmakers have already appended their signatures, supporting the impeachment notice against Mr Aiyedatiwa.

The source, who does not want his name mentioned, explained that the deputy governor had been under tense investigation for alleged gross abuse of office.

He said trouble allegedly began when Mr Aiyedatiwa reportedly approved a sum of money for the purchase of a vehicle for his personal use.

The source alleged that the deputy governor approved the money while Mr Akeredolu was recuperating in Germany.

“By approving that fund for himself, he already caused trouble and was aware the governor wasn’t happy with it when he returned from his medical leave,” he said.

The Gazette could not immediately get the deputy governor on the phone for his reaction.

A text message forwarded to his line was still pending at the time of this report.

The impeachment move against the deputy governor, Mr Aiyedatiwa came a few days after Mr Akeredolu returned from his three-month medical vacation in Germany.

Mr Akeredolu had also sacked all the media aides and disbanded all the press crew attached to the office of his deputy, shortly after his return.