Some persons suspected to be hired thugs Monday morning invaded the Ondo state House of Assembly complex.
The thugs, it was gathered, converged on the Assembly and positioned themselves in strategic locations to prevent anti-impeachment lawmakers loyal to deputy governor Agboola Ajayi from gaining access to the chamber.
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The lawmakers’ suspension was recently quashed by an Akure high court which also awarded them five million naira damages each.
The thugs were suspected to be members of the state NURTW .
But the Speaker of the House David Bamidele Oleyelogun said that they were only holding prayer session with the NURTW members on the success of the incoming governorship election coming up in October.
Oleyelogun said about 300 members of the driver’s union attended the meeting.
One of the anti- impeachment lawmakers Hon Success Taiwo Torhukerhi told Daily Trust that he stayed away when he heard that thugs were in the House.
It would be recalled that An Akure High Court about two weeks ago quashed the suspension of four members of the House who refused to sign the impeachment notice of the state Deputy Governor, Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi.
The lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, the only woman in the House, Mrs. Favour Tomomowo , Wale Williams and Tomide Akinribido representing Ondo Constituencies I and II were suspended for refusing to sign the impeachment notice of the deputy governor.
The anti-impeachment lawmakers were suspended for refusing to sign the impeachment notice served on deputy governor who defected from All Progressives Congress(APC).
The refusal of the lawmakers and five others stalled the plan to illegally impeach the deputy governor
Three of the suspended lawmakers, Ogundeji, Tomomowo and Williams are members of APC, while Akinribido is the only member of the House on the platform of Zenith Labour Party(ZLP).
Displeased with the decision of the House led by Bamidele Oleyelogun, the suspended lawmakers through their lawyer, Banjo Ayelakin, sought the protection of the court against their unlawful suspension from the House.
In his judgement, the Presiding judge, Justice Ademola Bola described the suspension as illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
