Ondo: Security agents ban pro deputy governor, lawmakers from entering House of Assembly

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

The crisis rocking the Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday took a new dimension as four suspended members of the House we’re prevented from entering the Assembly premises by security agents.

The affected lawmakers including the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Iroju Ogundeji, Mrs Favour Tomomewo and Mr. Wale Williams are all members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The security agents at the main entrance of the Assembly claimed that the  Speaker of the House, Hon David Oleyelogun instructed them not to allow the lawmakers entered into the premises of the House of Assembly.

The affected lawmakers had earlier been reinstated by the court and had their suspension quashed but they were disallowed from entering the Assembly premises.

The Appeal Court sitting in Akure,  the state capital , had on Wednesday upheld the judgement of the state High Court which ordered the Assembly to  reinstate the embattled lawmakers and pay them all their entitlements .

The lawmakers were earlier suspended by the leadership of the House over alleged gross misconduct during a rowdy session in the wake of attempts to impeach the state deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

Reacting to the development, the Deputy Speaker said the Assembly leadership acted contrary to the judgment of the court, hence committed contempt.

But Chairman of the House Committee on Information,  Mr Gbenga Omole said the House had not got copy of the judgment, saying that the suspended lawmakers coming to the House without copy of the judgment was mischievous and embarrassing.

Meanwhile, Organized Labour in the state has given the state government eight days ultimatum to settle workers’ accumulated salaries and deductions or face industrial action.

The organised labour alleged that the state government is owing workers October salary and six months deductions which have crippled various cooperative societies in the state public service.

The Labour movement which includes the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), called on the state government to urgently convene a meeting with the labour leaders on the matter.