Ondo Ex Deputy Speaker Escapes Jail Term

A former deputy speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Iroju Ogundeji, yesterday narrowly escaped being sent to jail for filing what was termed a contemptuous petition against the Chief Judge, Justice Williams Akintoroye.

Ogundeji is challenging his impeachment as the deputy speaker at the court and he accused the chief judge of being biased and prejudiced against him, adding he was not comfortable with the fraternisation between the defendants and the chief judge.

In the petition submitted to the chief registrar of the court, Ogundeji said the elevation of Justice Akintoroye to the position of chief judge will not enable him to dispense with the case, which is time-bound.

He said the chief judge would be preoccupied with a lot of administrative duties, which he noted would hamper the speedy prosecution of the case.

According to the petition: “Your Lordship expressly praised the speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly and his estranged deputy during your Lordship’s confirmation on September 28, 2021. The position that is in contention before your Lordship.

“Your Lordship expressly mentioned that the House was stable in recent times because of the harmony between the speaker and the disputed deputy speaker. The House that is divided against itself will never hold.”

Justice Akintoroye announced his withdrawal from the suit as it came up for hearing on Monday.

He stated that he laboured for many years to build a name and would not want it to be dented because of a political case.

The Ondo chief judge noted that the petition against him was contemptuous, but said he would not commit the embattled lawmaker to prison for the offence against the integrity of the court.

He said: “I have my name to protect. I have laboured day and night to protect the only legacy I have, which is my name. I have not desecrated this seat. I have worked in virtually all judicial divisions in Ondo State without blemish. I practised for 18 years before I was appointed as a judge.”

Justice Akintoroye said all allegations against him in the past had been dismissed because he did not have any skeleton in his cupboard.

He added that he is a man with white garments, who will not go near oil. He transferred the case to another registry to be assigned to another court for adjudication.