….Aderoboye remains the Deputy Speaker
Contrary to rumour that is being speculated on social media platforms,
the Court if Appeal sitting in Akure is yet to deliver judgement in the appeal filed by the Ondo State House of Assembly against the reinstatement of its former Deputy Speaker, Hon Iroju Ogundeji.
The Court presided by Justice Adetan Osadebey, had in January 2023 ordered the reinstatement of a lawmaker from Odigbo constituency 1, Ogundeji Iroju as the state Deputy Speaker, described as illegal, null and void the purported removal of Iroju as the Deputy Speaker of the House on November 24, 2020, by some members of the Assembly.
However, the Assembly through the Assembly through the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Titiloye, immediately filed a Stay of Execution and appeal against the judgement at the Court of Appeal.
With the appeal still pending and yet to be heard by the appeal court, Rt. Hon. Samuel Aderoboye remains the state Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
According to Aderoboye, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal or giving a judgment.
A statement from the office of the Attorney General, after the high court judgment, had indicated that the assembly had appealed the judgement, which is yet to be heard, but the stay of execution is still subsisting until the appeal court delivers its judgment.
“The appeal which was filed on behalf of the House of Assembly by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State, Sir Charles Titiloye, is seeking to set aside the Judgment of the High Court dated 11th of January 2023 removing the Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Aderoboye from office and reinstating the Impeached Deputy Speaker, Hon. Deji Iroju,” read the statement signed by Kola Adeniyi, the Special Assistant to the Attorney General.
“The Attorney General in the notice of Appeal dated 11th of January, 2023 faulted the Judgment of the trial Court which was based on the allegation that Hon. Deji Iroju was not accorded fair hearing before his impeachment when actually the lawmaker failed to avail himself of the various opportunities to be heard and defend himself before he was removed from office on the ground of gross misconduct.
“The Learned Attorney General urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the Judgment of the High Court which heavily relied on the evidence of the claimants marred with inconsistencies and contradictory evidence.
“The House of Assembly in another application before the trial Court urged the Court to stay the execution of its Judgment pending the determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.
“The application further sought for an injunction restraining the Claimants/Respondents from giving effect to the said judgment by resuming in office as the Deputy Speaker of Ondo State pending the determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.”
