‘We Were Both Normal Before My Kangaroo Impeachment’ – Ex-Deputy Gov Speaks On Relationship With Makinde

Former Deputy Governor of Oyo State Rauf Olaniyan has broken his silence on the events leading to his impeachment on July 18, 2022.

He described the process as a “kangaroo” scheme orchestrated by backbiters within the government.

In an interview with Punch, Olaniyan admitted to having “irreconcilable differences” with Governor Seyi Makinde but insisted his removal was driven by false narratives spread by schemers who sought to tarnish his image and oust him from government.

Backbiting And Scheming

“To me, apart from when the kangaroo impeachment was started, we were both normal,” Olaniyan said, referring to his relationship with Governor Makinde.

He continued, “People can go behind me and say a lot of things. I can’t stop them. If you are so powerful that people cannot talk about you in your presence, you can’t stop them from talking about you in your absence.

“The people surrounding him (Governor Makinde) felt so threatened about me and started backbiting, saying all sorts of things behind me to the governor. He knew I wasn’t a bad man to him, but there were some people that were bent on getting me out of the government.

“Some of them told me to my face; some of them, after my impeachment. I met one man at the airport who said he was one of those behind the impeachment.”

Allegations Of Misconduct

Olaniyan was removed from office over allegations of insubordination, gross misconduct, and financial impropriety. The Oyo State House of Assembly had ratified the findings of a seven-man panel constituted by the Chief Judge to investigate the allegations.

However, Olaniyan dismissed the accusations as baseless, claiming they were fabricated to justify his removal.

“They gave a dog a bad name to hang it,” he said, arguing that the accusations were part of a deliberate effort to seal his fate as deputy governor.

Confessions Post-Impeachment

The former deputy governor revealed that some individuals involved in the impeachment later admitted to their roles. “After my impeachment, I met one man at the airport who confessed to being part of those behind the impeachment,” Olaniyan recounted.

He said, “You are in this clime. You know that when you want to stone or kill a dog, you must call the dog a bad name. You must call the dog a bad name to get it hanged. How much is the deputy governor’s lodge? To the glory of God, the cost of the deputy governor’s lodge is nothing to me, to be running after. But you have to call a dog a bad name to hang it. I was around when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was sentenced. Did he commit the offence?”

On alleged disloyalty to his former principal, Olaniyan said, having been in government circles for many years, he was too experienced not to understand the import of loyalty.

“That I am disloyal or fail to give respect is not in my dictionary. But you know anybody can sit down and concoct anything. But, I am not embittered about my impeachment. I am not even bitter against Seyi Makinde.

“During the impeachment process, one of the offences that the panel read to me was disloyalty, that I was not giving respect to the governor. But it is interesting to note that when I got to the office in the morning, back then, I would go to the governor’s office first to ask if there was any assignment for me.

“There is one day I told the governor that there is none of the exco members that gives him much respect as I do. This is because I have been in the system for a long and I know the meaning of respecting the governor,” Olaniyan said.

Despite his impeachment, Olaniyan maintained that he harboured no resentment towards Governor Makinde, noting that he had never spoken ill of the governor since his removal as deputy governor.

Olaniyan added, “I have no regrets the way I left office. Since I left office, I have never shown or displayed any animosity against Seyi Makinde. I have no issue with Seyi Makinde, at all. Anywhere I meet him, I call him with respect, I greet him; we normally greet each other.”