Crisis as Ondo lawmaker kicks over declaration of vacant seat
By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure
The crisis rocking the Ondo state House of Assembly took another dimension as the embattled former deputy speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, has kicked over the declaration of his seat vacant by the Speaker of the Assembly, Bamidele Oleyeloogun.
The Assembly at the plenary session on Thursday 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 suit has as defendants the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) APC, Assembly, the Clerk of the Assembly, Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Hon. Sunday Francis, (for himself and on behalf of Hon. Abubakar Sani Bello’s faction of All Progressive Congress) and the Police.
The Speaker also asked the Commissioner of Police to arrest Ogundeji for parading himself as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
But Ogundeji while reacting said the action of the Speaker is tantamount to contempt of court as he has filed a case 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 through his counsel, Mr. Banjo Aiyenakin has sought the order of the court to restrain the Assembly from declaring his seat vacant.
Ogundeji, however, 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.”
Also, he sought an order of injunction “restraining the respondents from denying the applicant the enjoyment of the benefits of his office as an Honourable member of the House of Assembly of Ondo State including but not limited to participation at the sessions of the House on the account of the movement or migration of the applicant from All Progressive Congress (APC) to People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”
