The Ondo State High Court has served the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun form 48, indicating a contempt against the court.
The leadership of the House of Assembly had been at loggerheads with nine members who moved against impeachment of the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi after dumping the APC in June, 2020 to contest the governorship primaries of the PDP.
Ajayi lost the primaries and later moved to the ZLP to contest the October 10 governorship election.
The nine members had approached the court to nullify their suspension which was granted.
The case had been appealed by the Oleyelogun-led House while also seeking for stay of execution.
The stay of execution had since been quashed by the appellate court.
The nine lawmakers are being denied access to the assembly even after the appellate court judgment reinstating them.
Oleyelogun denied the allegation, saying the House is on recess.
The lawmakers had gone back to the High Court to complain about the noncompliance to its judgment by Oleyelogun.
Consequently, the Court on Thursday issued form 48, that is, Contempt of Court form against the Speaker.
Meantime, the nine members of the Ondo State House of Assembly on Wednesday rejected the purported removal of Rt Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
The Assembly members who were against the impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi and are also against the purported removal of Ogundeji include; Rasheed Elegbeleye, Suleiman Jamiu Maito, Adewale Williams-Adewinle, Festus Akingbaso, Ogundeji Iroju, Favour Tomomewo, and Tomide Akinribido.
Others included Success Torrhukerhijo and Samuel Ademola.
The lawmakers described the impeachment as unlawful as it did not meet the required constitution requirements for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker.
They argued that section 92 sub 2C of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended requires two-third majority cum provisions of the rules and standing order of the House for the impeachment of the Speaker or his Deputy.
“The same provision for the removal of Speaker and Deputy is provided for in section 9 (sub 1-IX) of the standing order of the house. It requires two-thirds majority for the removal of the speaker or deputy speaker and also dictates that all members of the assembly must be present at the chamber for the removal to be effective,” they said.
Meanwhile, Hon. Festus Akingbaso has written to the speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun, rejecting his appointment as Deputy Minority Leader of Ondo State House of Assembly.
Akingbaso was announced as the Minority leader of the House, after the controversial impeachment of the former deputy speaker, Iroju Ogundeji on Tuesday.
(THE PRECISION)
