The embattled deputy speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Iroju Ogundeji, has kicked as the assembly declared vacant his seat for allegedly defecting to the People’s Democratic Party.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker, Bamidele Oloyeloogun, read at plenary on Thursday, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Ade Adetimehin, stated that Ogundeji had sent a letter of resignation to the party.
The representative of Odigbo Constituency 1 in the assembly earlier had a crisis with the leadership of the House leading to his removal and suspension as deputy speaker in 2020.
The action of the assembly was, however, quashed by the court.
It was gathered that the House declared his seat vacant for defecting to the PDP from the APC.
Quoting Section 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended, the state lawmakers noted that Ogundeji was no longer competent to represent Odigbo Constituency 1 having resigned his membership of the APC, on whose platform he was elected into office.
In his remarks, the Speaker said that having resigned his membership of the APC, Ogundeji violated the relevant section of the law and should, therefore, vacate his seat.
The Speaker said that “All benefits and entitlements accruing to his (Ogundeji) office should be stopped immediately while a letter to that effect should be forwarded to the Accountant General of Ondo State.”
Reacting, Ogundeji said that the action of the Speaker was tantamount to contempt of court as he had filed a case against declaring his seat vacant at the Federal High Court.
“I have filed a suit at the Federal High Court and the court has fixed May 10, 2022, for hearing of the suit. The Assembly has been served with the court processes. Whatever action the Assembly has purported to have taken is to overreach the court,” the embattled lawmaker said.
