The Ondo State House of Assembly on Thursday declared the seat of the former Deputy Speaker, representing Odigbo constituency 1 in the state Assembly, Hon Iroju Ogundeji, vacant.
Ogundeji’s seat was declared vacant, following a letter transmitted to the House by the state Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Ade Adetimehin, informing the House of Ogundeji’s exit from the party.
The House, while acting on the letter unanimously resolved and declared the seat vacant, quoting sections 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The House in its resolution noted that Ogundeji was no longer competent to represent Odigbo constituency 1 since he has resigned his membership in APC through which he was elected into office.
The motion for removal of Ogundeji was moved by Majority leader, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi and was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Honourable Samuel Aderoboye, relying on sections 109 (1) and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
All members of the House of Assembly present at the plenary unanimously supported the moves to unseat the former Deputy Speaker.
Speaking, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun, noted that Ogundeji having resigned his membership of APC, violated the relevant portion of the law as quoted and hence should vacate his seat as representative of Odigbo constituency 1 in the State Assembly.
Oleyelogun added that all benefits and entitlements accruing to his office should be stopped immediately, while a letter to that effect should be forwarded to the Accountant General of Ondo State adding that all government property in his care should be submitted to the Clerk of the House.
The Speaker directed that a letter should equally be forwarded to the Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct of bye-election for the vacant seat of Odigbo constituency 1 within the next 90 days.
He called on all security operatives in the state to take all necessary action if Iroju parades himself as a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
Oleyelogun maintained that there was no division in the APC to warrant the resignation of Iroju from the party, hence the need for the action taken against him by the house in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
But Ogundeji in his reaction said the action of the Speaker is tantamount to contempt of court, disclosing that a suit had been filed at a Federal High Court, against the purported declaration of his seat vacant.
He said that the factional crisis between Governors Mai Bala Buni and Abubarkar Bello before the last congress of the party made him dump the party.
He said “I have filed a suit at the Federal High Court and the court has fixed May 10 for the hearing of the suit.
“The Assembly has been served with the court processes. Whatever action the Assembly has purported to have done is to overreach the court.”
In the court proceedings made available to reporters, Ogundeji had through his counsel, Mr Banjo Aiyenakin sought the order of the court to restrain the Assembly from declaring his seat vacant.
The suit has as defendants the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) APC, Assembly, the Clerk of the Assembly, Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin and the Police.
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