Politics
One Year After, A’Court Reinstates Ex-lawmaker As Dep Speaker
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday, reinstated Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, a year after he completed his tenure.
In a unanimous decision, Justices Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye, Frederick Oziakpono-Oho and Yusuf Alhaji Bashir upheld the judgment of Justice Akintan Osadebey that reinstated the two-term lawmaker who represented Odigbo State Constituency in the Assembly.
The Assembly, under the leadership of former Speaker, Rt Hon. David Bamidele Oleyeloogun, had suspended Hon Ogundeji as a member of the Assembly and eventually removed him as the Deputy Speaker.
Hon Ogundeji served the rest of his tenure as a lawmaker in suspension.
Displeased with the action, Hon Ogundeji, through his lawyer, Oluwanike Omotayo Esq, approached the court for the nullification of the suspension as a lawmaker and removal as the Deputy Speaker.
Mr Omotayo told the court that the decision of the Assembly was a nullity, since the purported impeachment did not follow the constitutional requirements.
The counsel added that the purported removal of Hon Ogundeji contravened Order Two, Section 9 (1-10) of the rules and standing order of the State House of Assembly, saying the law required a two-third majority of the members before any of the principal officers of the Assembly could be impeached.
Justice Osadebey, in her judgment, ordered the reinstatement of Hon Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
The court described as illegal, null, and void, the purported removal of Hon Ogundeji as the Deputy Speaker on November 24, 2020, by some members of the Assembly.
The judge further held that the lawmaker was not given a fair hearing as the purported impeachment had been carried out before a panel to investigate him was set up by the Assembly.
This, the judge held, was like putting the cart before the horse, adding that the claimant was not personally served the impeachment proceedings, which made it a nullity.
Also, the Judge said there was no parliamentary resolution before the purported impeachment was carried out and that not all members were present during the impeachment as required by the rules of the Assembly and the 1999 Constitution.
The court further held that the signing of parliamentary meeting attendance was not tantamount to consent as nine out of the 26-member Assembly dissociated themselves from the purported impeachment.
Subsequently, the court ordered that Hon Ogundeji should be reinstated and all his entitlements paid up-to-date while his paraphernalia of office should be restored immediately, just as the appointment of Hon Aderoboye was described as a nullity.
Consequently, Justice Osadebey awarded N10 million as damages for the humiliation suffered by the lawmaker during his purported impeachment and suspension.
Displeased with the verdict of the lower court, the Assembly, through the then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Titiloye Charles, appealed the judgment.
In his appeal, Charles said the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit, having not complied with the mandatory provision relating to pre-action notice.
However, the appellate court dismissed all the legs of the appeal of the Assembly and ordered the lawmaker to be paid all his entitlements as a lawmaker and as the Deputy Speaker of the ninth Assembly.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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