Nine members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have rejected the purported removal of Rt Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
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-third 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 letter of rejection by Hon. Akingbaso, obtained by The Precision NG read below:
My attention has been drawn to the purported removal of the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Iroju Ogundeji and my appointment as Deputy Minority Leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
May I state clearly the following
1: That I am presently out of the country and my absence from the Assembly was duly communicated to House through the Speaker
2: That to the best of my knowledge, that before I travelled out of the country , there was no time that the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon, Iroju Ogundeji was discussed either at the parliamentary or plenary.
3: And I have also contacted my colleagues especially the eight lawmakers who dissoociated themselves from the plot to impeach the Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi and they have also affirmed that nothing of such happened since I travelled out of the country.
4: That the office of the Deputy Minority leader is the business of the members of the minority parties of the House of Assembly.
5: I hereby reject my purported appointment as the Deputy Minority Leader and dissociate myself from the purported impeachment move of the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Let me appreciate all my supporters for all the calls, show of Love and confidence you have in me.
Finally, as a well brought up Idanre man, I do not benefit from any crisis.
I thank you.
Signed
Hon Festus O Akingbaso.
Idanre State Constituency
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