The Ondo State House of Assembly today declared the seat of the former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, vacant.
Iroju Ogundeji before he was fired was the lawmaker representing Odigbo constituency 1 in Ondo State House of Assembly.
Rt Honourable Ogundeji was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress before he decamped to Peoples Democratic Party on the 19th of March, 2022.
In a letter transmitted to the House and read at plenary on Thursday, the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Ondo State chapter, Engineer Ade Adetimehin said Rt. Honourable Ogundeji Iroju vide a letter to his office has resigned his membership of the APC.
Acting on the letter and quoting section 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended the Honourable House in their resolution noted that Honourable Iroju Ogundeji was no longer competent to represent Odigbo constituency 1 since he has resigned his membership of APC through which he was elected into office.
Following the resolution of the parliamentary meeting held today which was immediately followed with Plenary of the House of assembly, the house upon debate by members present declared the seat of Ogundeji Iroju vacant.
The motion was moved by Majority leader, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi and was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Honourable Samuel Aderoboye, relying on section 109 (1) and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended. The motion was unanimously agreed to by all members of the house of Assembly present at the plenary.
In his ruling, Speaker of the House, Rt. Honourable Oleyelogun Bamidele David, noted that having resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress, Rt Honourable Ogundeji Iroju violated the relevant portion of the law as quoted and hence should vacate his seat as representative of Odigbo constituency 1 in the State Assembly.
Oleyelogun added that all benefits and entitlements accruing to his office should be stopped immediately, while a letter to that effect should be forwarded to the Accountant General of Ondo State adding that all government property in his care should be submitted to the Clerk of the House.
The Speaker directed that a letter should equally be forwarded to the Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conduct of bye election into the vacant seat of Odigbo constituency 1 within the next 90 days.
He called on all security operatives in the state to take all necessary action if Iroju parades himself as a member of Ondo state House of Assembly.
Speaking to journalists after plenary, Chairman House Committee on Information, Honourable Olugbenga Omole said the former Deputy Speaker erred in law, having taken the steps he took.
Justifying the position of the House at plenary, Omole maintained that there was no division in the APC to warrant the resignation of Iroju from the party, hence the need for the action taken against him by house in line with the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
SIGNED.
Akogun Olugbenga Omole,
Chairman House Committee on Information,Youth and Sports Development.
31st March,2022.
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