The 42-month reign of stormy petrel Peter Ayodele Fayose, as governor of Ekiti State was this morning consigned into the dustbin of history in Ado-Ekiti. The 24 lawmakers who about a month ago notified him of their plan to impeach him, following the damning report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accusing Fayose of fraudulent diversion of council funds and money laundering, finally carried out their threat, moments after the house received the report of the Emmanuel Omotosho panel.

The impeachment came as an anti-climax, as Fayose himself, sensing his imminent political demise, abdicated his position by bolting out of the state early Sunday morning, abandoning aides and security details. His whereabouts is still unknown. The House convened this morning at 8.10 a.m, first to receive the report of the Omotosho panel, which was presented to the speaker, Friday Aderemi. He thanked the panellists for a job well done. Moments after, the majority leader, Babade Kayode, moved a motion asking members to accept the report, which found Fayose guilty of corruption. The adoption of the motion effectively removed Fayose from office. The majority leader also moved the motion asking that members accept the second report that also found Fayose's deputy, Biodun Olujimi guilty of corruption. There was a unanimous voice vote okaying the impeachment of the duo. Inspite of this, two sheets of paper were passed around, asking the members to endorse the impeachment.

Two members of the House, Taiwo Olatunbosun, Irepodun/Ifelodun constituency( Fayose's town) and Tunji Akinyele from Oye Constituency, abstained from voting. With Fayose and his deputy removed, the coast was clear for their succession by the speaker, Friday Aderemi, who was scheduled to be sworn in by noon today. News of Fayose's removal threw Ado-Ekiti residents into a frenzy of jubilation and singing. But at one moment, it was an impeachment that never was.
Despite the weight of majority in favour of the legislators in support of Fayose's removal, the campaign was almost scuttled by the state's chief judge, Justice Kayode Bamisile, who initially empanelled seven persons, said to be nominees of Fayose to probe the impeachment allegations against him. The speaker, acting on behalf of the house, stormed the oath-taking session of the panellists and announced that the assembly rejected the composition on grounds that it was peopled by Fayose's cronies.

The House promptly suspended the chief judge on grounds that he was being investigated for receiving a bribe, and named Justice Jide Aladejana, as acting chief judge, until the completion of the investigation. Aladejana's appointment and the reconstitution of the impeachment panel by him, provoked outcries that the 1999 constitution was being raped in the state, as only the governor, acting in league, with the National Judicial Commission is the only one who can appoint an acting chief judge. The declaration by Nigeria's chief justice, Alfa Babatunde Belgore, declaring the appointment of Aladejana, as null and void further stoked the controversy. But the panel and the Ekiti Assembly were not deterred.