Abdulraheem Adebayo Adeleke Lawal has emerged the new Deputy Governor of Oyo State.

 He replaces Rauf Olaniyan, who was impeached by the state House of Assembly earlier on Monday.

Lawal, who hails from Kishi in the Oke-Ogun area of the state, has two Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Law from the University of Ibadan.

Until his new position, Lawal was the Chairman of the state’s Housing Corporation. He had also served the state as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

He contested for the Oyo North Senatorial seat on three occasions but lost all three times.

Governor Seyi Makinde had sent Lawal’s name to the state parliament following Olaniyan’s removal.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the House had gone on a short recess shortly after Olaniyan’s impeachment.

The lawmakers later reconvened at about 12.15 pm to consider the appointment of the new Deputy Governor.

While reading the letter from the Executive, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin said it was in response to an earlier letter sent by the lawmaker to the Governor dated 18 July, informing him of Olaniyan’s impeachment.

Defending Lawal’s nomination, the House Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin, said it should be favourably considered, approved and adopted in view of the nominee’s antecedents in contributing to the progress of the state.

Seconding the motion, Kazeem Olayanju, representing Irepo/Olorunsogo State Constituency, said the House should confirm Lawal as the Deputy Governor of Oyo State.

The Speaker put the nomination to a voice vote, which went the ways of the “ayes”.

The road to the impeachment of Rauf Olaniyan as the Deputy Governor of Oyo State recorded great intrigues. But Oyo State House of Assembly finally impeached him over allegations of gross misconduct and financial impropriety, while in office.

The decision was reached after the lawmakers presented and considered the recommendation of the seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge, Munta Abimbola, to investigate the Deputy Governor over allegations of gross misconduct.

The impeachment, according to the Assembly, takes immediate effect.

According to the report of the committee presented during Monday plenary, the Deputy Governor was found guilty of all the allegations leveled against him by the panel.

Assembly, during its emergency sitting recommended that having considered the report of the seven-man panel constituted by the Chief Judge of the state to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor, it has found him culpable of all allegations.

The recommendations stated further: “I hereby, recommend for the approval of the house, pursuant to section 188 (19) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) that the deputy governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, stand removed from from office with effect from today, Monday July 18, 2022.”