On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, ruled in favor of Hon. Iroju Ogundeji, reinstating him as the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly. The unanimous decision, delivered by Justices Oyebisi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho, and Yusuf Bashir, upheld the previous judgment of Justice Akintan Osadebey, which had reversed Ogundeji’s suspension and removal from office.
The case traces back to 2020 when Ogundeji, representing Odigbo Constituency 1, was suspended and subsequently removed from his position as Deputy Speaker by the State Assembly. Ogundeji contested the legality of these actions through his lawyer, Oluwanike Omotayo Esq., arguing that the suspension and impeachment did not adhere to constitutional and parliamentary procedures.
Omotayo contended that the Assembly’s decision was a nullity because it failed to follow Order Two, Section 9 (1-10) of the Assembly’s rules, which mandates a two-thirds majority vote for the removal of principal officers. Additionally, Ogundeji’s right to a fair hearing was violated as the impeachment process commenced before a proper investigative panel was constituted.
Justice Osadebey’s judgment criticized the Assembly’s actions as illegal and void, noting that the impeachment lacked proper parliamentary resolution and was conducted without the required quorum. The judge emphasized that the impeachment lacked the necessary parliamentary approval, as a significant number of Assembly members were not present, and several dissociated themselves from the process.
The court ordered Ogundeji’s reinstatement, the payment of all his entitlements, and the restoration of his office paraphernalia. The Assembly’s attempt to appeal the lower court’s verdict, led by then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Titiloye Charles, was dismissed. Charles had argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction and did not comply with mandatory pre-action notice requirements.
In addition to reinstating Ogundeji, the Court of Appeal awarded him N10 million in damages for the humiliation and loss suffered due to the unlawful impeachment and suspension. The ruling also nullified the appointment of Aderoboye, who had been appointed as Deputy Speaker following Ogundeji’s removal.
