Ogasabi on 9am news Nigeria has reported a significant judicial ruling, as the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, reinstated Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly. This Breaking news from 9am news Nigeria confirms that the unanimous decision was made by Justices Oyebisi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho, and Yusuf Bashir, who upheld an earlier judgment by Justice Akintan Osadebey.
In 2020, Ogundeji, who represents Odigbo Constituency 1 in the Assembly, was suspended and removed as Deputy Speaker. However, Ogasabi reports that through his lawyer, Oluwanike Omotayo Esq., Ogundeji challenged his suspension and removal, arguing that the Assembly’s actions were unconstitutional and did not adhere to the required legal processes. Omotayo highlighted that Ogundeji’s impeachment did not follow Order Two, Section 9 (1-10) of the rules and standing orders of the Assembly, which mandate a two-thirds majority vote for the removal of principal officers.
According to 9am news, Justice Osadebey had previously ruled that Ogundeji’s removal was illegal, null, and void, noting that he was not given a fair hearing and that the impeachment was conducted without a proper parliamentary resolution. The court also found that the Assembly’s decision was not supported by all its members, with nine out of the 26-member body dissociating themselves from the impeachment process.
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In this recent ruling, the Court of Appeal dismissed all aspects of the Assembly’s appeal, which was filed by the then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Titiloye Charles. The appeal argued that the lower court lacked jurisdiction due to non-compliance with pre-action notice requirements, but the appellate court found no merit in these claims.
Ogasabi on 9am news further reports that the court ordered Ogundeji to be reinstated with immediate effect, with all his entitlements as a lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the ninth Assembly paid in full. Additionally, the court awarded Ogundeji N10 million in damages for the humiliation he suffered during the impeachment process. This landmark judgment, now featured in Breaking news on 9am news Nigeria, also declared the appointment of Aderoboye as Deputy Speaker to be null and void.
