By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Ondo State House of Assembly has declared the seat of a former deputy speaker, Mr Iroju Ogundeji, vacant for allegedly defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
In a letter addressed to the Speaker, Bamidele Oloyeloogun and read at plenary on Thursday, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr Ade Adetimehin, informed the assembly that Ogundeji had sent a letter of resignation from the party.
Ogundeji, who represents Odigbo Constituency 1, earlier had a crisis with the leadership of the House which led to his removal as the deputy speaker and suspension in 2020, but the action of the assembly was quashed by the court.
According to reports, the former deputy speaker defected to the PDP from the APC and it was on that ground that the House declared his seat vacant.
Acting on the letter and quoting Section 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended, the lawmakers in their resolution, noted that Ogundeji is no longer competent to represent Odigbo Constituency 1 since he has resigned his membership of the APC, through which he was elected into office.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Oloyeloogun, said having resigned his membership of the APC, Ogundeji had violated the relevant section of the law and should vacate his seat.
The Speaker ordered 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 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.
