Ondo Deputy Speaker Impeached by Court Reinstated

Hon. Iroju Ogundeji was reinstituted as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly on Tuesday by a Court of Appeal located in the capital city of Ondo State, Akure.

The ruling of Justice Akintan Osadebey, which reinstated Ogundeji, was affirmed by Justices Oyebisi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho, and Yusuf Bashir in a unanimous vote.

Ogundeji, who was a member of the House representing Odigbo Constituency 1, was suspended by the State Assembly in 2020, and he was finally ousted from his position as Deputy Speaker.

Through his attorney, Oluwanike Omotayo Esq., Ogundeji petitioned the court to have his suspension as a legislator revoked and to be removed from his position as Deputy Speaker.

Omotayo informed the court that because the alleged impeachment did not adhere to the constitutional standards, the Assembly’s action was void.

The attorney further stated that the removal of Ogundeji allegedly violated Order Two, Section 9 (1–10) of the State House of Assembly’s rules and standing order, as per the law, any important official of the Assembly cannot be impeached without the support of two-thirds of its members.

Ogundeji was reinstated as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly by Judge Osadebey’s ruling.

The court declared that some Assembly members’ alleged removal of Ogundeji as Deputy Speaker on November 24, 2020, was unlawful, void, and unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the judge decided that Ogundeji was not granted a fair trial because the alleged impeachment occurred prior to the Assembly forming a commission to look into the matter.

The Judge further stated that not all members were present during the impeachment, as required by the Assembly’s procedures and the 1999 constitution, and that there was no parliamentary motion prior to the alleged impeachment being carried out.

The court further ruled that while nine of the 26 members of the Assembly distanced themselves from the alleged impeachment, signing a document attesting to presence at parliamentary meetings did not constitute approval.

Afterwards, the court declared Aderoboye’s appointment to be a nullity and ordered Ogundeji to be reinstated, with all of his benefits paid up to date and his paraphilia of office restored immediately.

Subsequently, Judge Osadebey granted N10 million as compensation for the humiliation the legislator endured throughout his alleged impeachment and suspension.

The Assembly challenged the lower court’s decision because it was dissatisfied with it, using Titiloye Charles, who was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice at the time.

Titiloye claimed in his appeal that because the trial court had broken the requirement pertaining to pre-action notification, it lacked jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit.

In its decision, the Court of Appeal rejected every argument made by the Assembly and mandated that Ogundeji receive all of his dues as a member of parliament and as the ninth Assembly’s deputy speaker.