Ondo Assembly Declares Seats of Two Lawmakers Vacant

Fidelis David

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday declared the seats of lawmakers vacant over alleged anti-party activities.

They include the lawmaker representing Ilaje State constituency II, Mrs Favour Tomomewo and her counterpart representing the Ese-Odo constituency, Mr Success Torhukerhijo.

The parliament, at plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, directed the Independent Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election within 90 days for their constituencies.

According to the speaker, the decision followed a letter from the Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Engr Ade Adetimehin, to declare their seats vacant as the duo were alleged to have fully participated in the activities of another Party, PDP during the last gubernatorial election and Assembly primaries in the state.

Oleyelogun said that based on the APC’s letter and the house having acted per the section 109(1)and (g) of the 1999 constitution as amended, the house was declaring their seats vacant while a letter should be written to INEC to conduct a by-election into the seats within 90 days.

He directed that their benefits and entitlements be stopped and all government properties in their possession returned. The speaker affirmed that there was no crisis or division from ward to the national level of APC to warrant their actions.

Meanwhile, a bill for a law establishing Multi-Door Court and other matters connected thereto, 2022, has been passed. Its passage followed the submission of a report by the House Committee on Judiciary for consideration and approval at a plenary.

Presenting the report, the committee said the establishment of Ondo State Multi-Door Court House is long overdue and a welcome development by all stakeholders.

According to the report, the bill, if passed into law, will further enhance easy access to justice by providing an alternative mechanism for settlement of litigation in the resolution of disputes in the state and also minimise frustration and delays in justice delivery by providing a standard legal framework for the fair and efficient settlement of the dispute through alternative dispute resolution.

In the committee’s observation, the bill will promote the growth and effective functioning of the Justice system in the state through alternative dispute resolution methods.

The Majority Leader, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, then moved the motion for the bills to be passed into law and was seconded by the lawmaker representing Akure South constituency II, Sunday Olajide.

In the same vein, a bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the Ondo State Competition and Consumer Protection Agency law and other matters connected therewith was committed to the House Committee on Commerce and Industry after scaling through the second reading.