Ondo: Court Reinstates Suspended Deputy Speaker, Three Other Lawmakers

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has quashed the suspension of the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Ogundeji Itoju and three other lawmakers.

The deputy speaker and Mrs Favour Tomomowo; Mr Wale Williams and Tomide Akinribido were suspended for allegedly violating the rules of the House during a rowdy plenary when the state legislators wanted to impeach the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi after his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The four lawmakers refused to sign the impeachment notice to the deputy governor.

But delivering the judgment in a case file before his court in Akure on Friday ,Justice Ademola Bola quashed their suspension and ordered that they should be reinstated with immediate effect.

Three of the suspended lawmakers; , Ogundeji, Tomomowo and Williams are members of the APC, while Akinribido is the only member of the House elected on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party.

Justice Bola described the suspension as illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

He held that the House of Assembly as well as other members lacked the power to suspend any member of the Assembly.

The judge held that the suit which has the House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Deputy Majority Leader, Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, the Parliamentary Secretary,, Prince Abayomi Akinruntan, and the Clerk of the House, Mr. Bode Adeyelu, as defendants violated sections 90, 91, 106 and 117 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

The judge also ordered that a sum of N5million should be paid to each of the lawmakers as damages.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kola Olawoye, while reacting to the verdict said there was no victor no vanquished.

He urged all members of the House to unite and work for the progress of the state.

The reinstated deputy speaker who spoke on behalf of others urged all members of the House to work together.

He said “We all must work together and ensure the House operates independently according to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as ammended).”