By; Odeyemi Samuel, Akure.
A suit filed by the former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, challenging his removal from office last year has been adjourned till April 27, 2016 for ruling.
The suit, AK/51/2015, which joined the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, the House of Assembly, the Clerk of the House and one Mr. Olatunji Adeniyan as defendants has been before an Akure High Court presided by Justice William Olamide.
At the resumed hearing, lead Counsel to the defendants who doubled as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, prayed the court to strike out the suit on three grounds of lack of competence, failure to join as defendants the present Deputy Governor and the office of the Attorney General and gross abuse of court process by the claimant.
Reacting to the claim of Olanusi that he was not given opportunity for fair hearing, Jegede said the inconsistency on the claims of claimant and his Counsel which said he was away in Germany and in a Lagos Hotel at the same time was a testimony to the fact that the man was deliberately avoiding being served the notice to defend himself at the investigative panel set up for that purpose.
He therefore urged the court to uphold his prayer to strike out the case.
Earlier in his prayer, the Counsel to Alhaji Olanusi, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN had asked the Court to grant all reliefs sought by his client and nullify his impeachment.
Having heard the submissions of both parties, the presiding Justice Olamide adjourned the matter to 27 April for ruling on the objections raised or the judgement as the case may be.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Olanusi was on April 27, 2015 impeached from office by the State House of Assembly having been found guilty of gross abuse of office by an investigative panel.
