Ondo Assembly impeaches deputy speaker, Ogundeji Iroju

The Ondo State House of Assembly members, on Tuesday, have impeached the embattled Deputy Speaker, Hon Ogundeji Iroju for alleged gross misconduct.

It was gathered that members took the action at the plenary of the House on Tuesday.

Hon Iroju has been on suspension since July while his efforts to resume plenary following courts’ order have been unsuccessful.

Iroju’s impeachment followed a resolution presented by Tomide Akinrogunde.

Akinrogunde said the resolution was signed by 20 lawmakers in line with the Standing Order of the House and was subsequently adopted.

The lawmakers elected Aderoboye Samuel representing Odigbo Constituency II as the new Deputy Speaker.

Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, representing Owo Constituency 1 was picked as the new Majority leader while Akingbaso Festus, representing Idanre Constituency was appointed as the new Minority Leader and Taofeeq Mohammed as the new Chief Whip.

The Assembly also inaugurated a panel headed by Hon Abayomi Akinruntan to investigate allegation of gross misconduct against the former Deputy Speaker

Suspended lawmakers were yet to resume plenary as the Speaker announced that the House was yet to receive a copy of the court judgement declaring the suspension null and void.

The only Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) lawmaker in the Assembly, Hon Tomide Akinribido, said the procedure for removal of a Speaker or Deputy Speaker as contained in the Rules and Standing Orders was shamelessly violated. “Our nation cannot be a developed one if we continue to violate the constitution and due process while also disregarding lawful court order and rule of law,” he said.

But in a swift reaction, Hon Iroju described his impeachment as null and void insisting that the leadership of the assembly do not have the required number of lawmakers to impeach him. It was done clandestinely.

Iroju challenged the leadership of the assembly to publish the names of those that signed his impeachment.

The deputy speaker is the arrowhead of the nine lawmakers that refused to sign the failed impeachment notice served the deputy governor a few months ago.

The deputy speaker and others lawmakers including Hon Favour Tomomewo, Wale Williams and Tomiwa Akinribido were suspended from the assembly for their action citing gross indiscipline and misconduct but they were later reinstated by the State High Court.

The leadership of the assembly led by the Speaker, Rt Hon Bamidele Oloyelogun proceeded to the Court of Appeal for a stay of execution order against the high court judgement reinstating the three lawmakers.

But Justice Folayemi Omoleye who in her verdict queried the appellants for bringing a frivolous suit dismissed the stay of execution suit filed by the Ondo State House of Assembly against the judgement of the High Court reinstating suspended lawmakers.

Omoleye lifted their suspension and ordered the Assembly to reinstate the lawmakers and paid them all their entitlements.

A mild drama ensued last week when the lawmakers led by the Ondo deputy speaker whose suspension was quashed by the Court of Appeal were prevented from resuming for legislative duties.

Meanwhile, the name of a Commissioner nominee, Charles Titiloye has been forwarded to the House by the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu following the sack of the former Attorney general and Justice commissioner, Kola Olawoye.

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