By: Oluwatosin Adesola
Nine members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have rejected the purported removal of Rt Hon Ogundeji Iroju as the Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The House had yesterday said 20 out of 26 lawmakers impeached Iroju and elected Hon Samuel Aderoboye as the Deputy Speaker.
The Assembly members who are anti-impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi and are also against the purported removal of Ogundeji included Rasheed Elegbeleye, Suleiman Jamiu Maito, Adewale Williams-Adewinle, Festus Akingbaso, Ogundeji Iroju, Favour Tomomowo, and Tomide Akinribido.
Others included Success Tuhurkerijor and Samuel Edamisan.
The lawmakers described the impeachment as unlawful as it did not meet the required constitution requirements for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker.
They argued that section 92 sub 2C of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended requires two-third majority cum provisions of the rules and standing order of the House for the impeachment of the Speaker or his Deputy.
“The same provision for the removal of Speaker and Deputy is provided for in section 9 (sub 1-IX) of the standing order of the house. It requires two-third majority for their removal.
“It must be known that there was no place where sitting of the Assembly either at the plenary or parliamentary where the decision to remove Rt Hon Iroju Ogundeji took place where
“It must be noted that the impunity reign supreme in the Assembly where Rt Hon Bamidele Oleyeloogun presides.”
They argued that the action of some lawmakers in the Assembly was impunity taken to the highest level in a state governed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Below is the full text of the letter;
The Speaker
Ondo State House of Assembly
Alagbaka
Akure
25th, November 2020
Sir,
Letter of rejection of my appointment as Deputy Minority Leader of Ondo State House of Assembly
My attention has been drawn to the purported removal of the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Iroju Ogundeji and my appointment as Deputy Minority Leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
May I state clearly the following
1: That I am presently out of the country and my absence from the Assembly was duly communicated to House through the Speaker
2: That to the best of my knowledge, that before I travelled out of the country , there was no time that the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon, Iroju Ogundeji was discussed either at the parliamentary or plenary.
3: And I have also contacted my colleagues especially the eight lawmakers who dissoociated themselves from the plot to impeach the Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi and they have also affirmed that nothing of such happened since I travelled out of the country.
4: That the office of the Deputy Minority leader is the business of the members of the minority parties of the House of Assembly.
5: I hereby reject my purported appointment as the Deputy Minority Leader and dissociate myself from the purported impeachment move of the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Let me appreciate all my supporters for all the calls, show of Love and confidence you have in me.
Finally, as a well brought up Idanre man, I do not benefit from any crisis.
I thank you.
Signed
Hon Festus O Akingbaso.
Idanre State Constituency