Oyo House in dilemma over deputy speaker’s seat

By Adebayo Waheed - 05.11.2009

The Oyo State House of Assembly is currently in dilemma over the declaration of the vacant deputy speaker’s seat. The Speaker, Hon. Moruf Atilola, had, on Tuesday, during the sitting, declared the seat vacant as a result of the Appeal Court judgment which annulled the election of Hon. Jelili Adeleke, representing Akinyele state constituency.

The appellate court had, in its ruling, ordered that a re-run be conducted within 60 days. The speaker had, while declaring the seat vacant, refused to name a replacement, knowing ful well that he (Speaker) as the Amirul Hajj of the state, would not be available for sittings in the next one month.

With the declaration of the deputy speaker’s seat vacant, the House would be left with the headship since the speaker would be in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj exercise.

The Minority Leader, Hon. David Ajekigbe of the Action Congress (AC), in a motion, objected to the speaker’s decision to declare the seat vacant without any replacement, which led to a rowdy session.

The lawmaker, who left the floor of the House in annoyance, while quoting the country’s constitution, argued that there should be an election into the vacant seat, pending the conduct of the rerun election.

“It is clearly stated that if there is a vacant seat in the House of Assembly, we need to fill the seat immediately because we have some able men who can man the affairs of the House as the seat is not meant for the PDP members alone,” he said.