An Akure High Court in Ondo State has quashed the suspension of four members of the Ondo State House of Assembly who refused to sign the impeachment notice of the state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.
The suspended members include the Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju, the only female member in the assembly, Favour Tomomowo, Wale Williams, and Tomide Akinribido.
Recall that the anti-impeachment lawmakers were suspended for refusing to sign the impeachment notice served on deputy governor who defected from All Progressives Congress(APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Their refusal and that of five others stalled the plan to impeach the Deputy Governor.
Three of the suspended lawmakers; Ogundeji, Tomomowo, and Williams are members of APC, while Akinribido is the only Zenith Labour Party(ZLP) member in the assembly.
Dissatisfied with their suspension by the assembly led by the Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, the suspended lawmakers through their lawyer, Banjo Ayenakin, sought the protection of the court against their unlawful suspension from the House.
In his judgment, the Presiding Judge, Justice Ademola Bola described the suspension as illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
Bola held that the House of Assembly as well as other members have no power to suspend any member of the Assembly.
Bola held that the lawmakers must be reinstated into their positions with immediate effect.
He ordered that a sum of N5million should be paid to each of the lawmakers as damages.
Reacting to the judgment, the state Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Kola Olawoye, described the judgment as no victor no vanquished
Olawoye urged all members of the House to unite and work for the progress of the state.
