The Ondo State House of Assembly has declared the seat of the former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, vacant.
Iroju Ogundeji before he was fired was the lawmaker representing Odigbo constituency 1 in Ondo State House of Assembly.
He was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress before he decamped to Peoples Democratic Party on the 19th of March, 2022.
His seat was declared vacant in a letter transmitted to the House and read at plenary on Thursday.
The Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Ondo State chapter, Engineer Ade Adetimehin said Iroju via a letter to his office has resigned his membership of the APC.
Acting on the letter and quoting section 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended the Honourable House in their resolution noted that Honourable Iroju Ogundeji was no longer competent to represent Odigbo constituency 1 since he has resigned his membership of APC through which he was elected into office.
Following the resolution of the parliamentary meeting held today which was immediately followed with Plenary of the House of assembly, the house upon debate by members present declared the seat of Ogundeji Iroju vacant. The motion was moved by Majority leader, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi and was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Honourable Samuel Aderoboye, relying on section 109 (1) and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended. The motion was unanimously agreed to by all members of the house of Assembly present at the plenary.
The Speaker also asked the Commissioner of Police to arrest Ogundeji for parading himself as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
But the embattled former Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, kicked against the declaration of his seat vacant by the Speaker of the Assembly.
said the action of the Speaker is tantamount to contempt of court as he has filed a case at the court against the purported declaration of his seat vacant at the Federal High Court.
His words “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.
But the Lawmaker kicks as Assembly declare seat vacant.
The Assembly at the plenary session declared the seat of Ogundeji representing Odigbo constituency 1 vacant following his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The Speaker also asked the Commissioner of Police to arrest Ogundeji for parading himself as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
But Ogundeji said the action of the Speaker is tantamount to contempt of court as he has filed a case at the court against the purported declaration of his seat vacant at the Federal High Court.
His words “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.
In the suit, Ogundeji asked the court to restrain the “respondents whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, and privies or acting through anybody whatsoever from removing or declaring vacant; the legislative seat or representation of the claimant of Odigbo Local Government Constituency l at the Ondo State House of Assembly or any threats thereof by the movement or migration of the claimant from APC to PDP’
He added that the factional crises between Governors Mai Bala Buni and Abubarkar Bello before the last congress of the party made him dump the party.