DELE OGUNYEMI, Ibadan

The enraged supporters of Alhaji Adedibu also attacked people believed to be ex-Governor Ladoja loyalists seen at the court.

Alhaji Adedibu had stormed the Court of Appeal with his teeming supporters, to monitor the proceedings of the hearing of the suit involving the appeal over the impeachment of ex-Governor Ladoja.

Trouble however started when Adedibu’s men accosted Chief Olanipekun shortly after the senior advocate concluded the submission of his brief in an appeal filed by Senator Ladoja challenging his impeachment, and on why the ex-Governor should be joined in the court’s processes.

The quick intervention of lawyers around the court premises brought the rowdy situation under control.

However, despite the tight security mounted by armed securitymen at strategic positions in and around the court premises, to forestall any possible attack, Adedibu’s men succeeded in beating up supporters of Senator Ladoja with sticks and other dangerous weapons in their possession.

Earlier, Chief Olanipekun and Mallam Yusuff Ali (SAN), counsel to Ladoja and the suspended Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abraham Adeolu Adeleke and other eleven legislators had prayed the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal filed against the decision of an Ibadan High Court which upheld the formation of the Special Tribunal that heard the impeachment notice reportedly served on Senator Ladoja.

The counsels had argued that the impeachment procedure was unconstitutional arguing that the normal procedure was not followed.

According to the two lawyers, "no court of law can interprete the ouster law without taking the entire constitutional provision – section 188 (1 – 10).

"The decision of the House of Assembly to remove the appellants was a rule of the jungle and if the Court of Appeal takes section 188(10) in isolation, that means this court has been turned into a robot," they argued. They said, "It is the contention of the plaintiffs that the constitution had been breached because a fraction of the entire members of the Oyo state House of Assembly and not two-third as stipulated by the constitution met to decide that their other colleagues be suspended and that the governor be impeached".

Counsel to Oyo State Government, Mr. Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN) in his response however urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal on the ground that it had no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Ayanlaja cited the cases of both second Republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa versus Kaduna State Government and ex-Deputy Governor Enyinnaya Abaribe versus Abia State Government.

Before adjourning the case till a date to be announced to the parties involved, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice J.O. Ogebe commended the way and manner the counsel conducted themselves during the proceeding and hoped politicians would learn from them.