A Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has reinstated Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly. In a unanimous decision, Justices Oyebisi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho, and Yusuf Bashir upheld the earlier judgment by Justice Akintan Osadebey, which restored Ogundeji to his position.
The State Assembly had suspended Ogundeji, who represents Odigbo Constituency 1, in 2020, and subsequently removed him as Deputy Speaker. Ogundeji, represented by lawyer Oluwanike Omotayo Esq., challenged the suspension and removal, arguing that the Assembly’s actions did not follow constitutional requirements.
Omotayo contended that the impeachment was invalid due to non-compliance with Order Two, Section 9 (1-10) of the Assembly’s rules, which mandates a two-thirds majority for the removal of principal officers. Justice Osadebey’s ruling confirmed the impeachment was illegal, citing a lack of fair hearing and the absence of a proper parliamentary resolution.
The court also noted that not all members were present during the impeachment process and that nine out of 26 members had dissociated themselves from the action. Consequently, Ogundeji was ordered to be reinstated, with all entitlements paid up-to-date, and his office paraphernalia restored. The appointment of Aderoboye was deemed null and void.
Justice Osadebey awarded Ogundeji N10 million in damages for the humiliation suffered due to the wrongful impeachment and suspension. The Assembly’s appeal, led by then-Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Titiloye Charles, was dismissed, with the court affirming that the lower court had jurisdiction and ordered the full reinstatement of Ogundeji.
