Ondo Assembly crisis: Lawmakers take battle to Supreme Court

By Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

Ondo State House of Assembly has approached the Supreme Court to appeal the ruling of the Court of Appeal which ordered the leadership of the House to reinstate the three lawmakers currently under suspension for alleged unruly behavior.

The three members of the Assembly who are all members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) include the former Deputy Speaker, Mr Iroju Ogundeji, Mrs Favour Tomomewo and Mr Wale Williams were suspended by the leadership of the House for alleged gross misconduct in June this year.

Ogundeji represents Odigbo Constituency 1, Tomomewo represents Ilaje Constituency 11, while Williams is from Ondo West state Constituency 11.

The lawmakers were part of the nine lawmakers who opposed the impeachment of the state Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

The state High Court in Akure ordered the reinstatement of the lawmakers and the Court of Appeal also dismissed the stay of execution order filed by the Assembly, ordering the reinstatement of the three lawmakers.

But it was gathered that the House allegedly refused to reinstate the lawmakers, claiming that they had not been served the order of the appeal court which dismissed the stay of execution order.

Following the ruling of the appellate court, the suspended lawmakers alleged that they went to the Assembly to resume their legislative duties but they were prevented from entering into the Assembly complex by security men on the order of the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oloyeloogun.

The speaker and the leadership of House were also said to have been served Form 48 (contempt of court) for allegedly disobeying court order reinstating the suspended lawmakers.

However, it was gathered that the Assembly has proceeded to the apex court to challenge the judgement of the Appeal court.

A source said the notice of appeal was filed by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Justice, Mr Cyril Akinrinsola and the House sought the order of the apex court to overrule the Court of Appeal judgment which dismissed the stay of execution order filed by the Assembly.