Group petitions Nigerian Law School over ousted Ondo deputy speaker

The Integrity Group which is a leading advocacy group has petitioned the Director General, Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja to complain against what it described as reckless abandoning of legislative duties by Ogundeji Iroju representing Odigbo Constituency 1 at the Ondo state house of assembly and former deputy speaker.

According to the petition, the failure of Iroju to perform his duties has generated so much crisis in the running of the house.

Dr. Dan Obidike and Mr Olaseeni Akinbote who signed the petition wondered how he was able to participate in the Nigerian Law School, which is a full time program whereas he is in Ondo State.

Dr Dan Obidike further said, “We are a Public Advocacy Group tasked with the responsibility of ensuring public peace, promotion of democratic values and ensuring that public Institutions and public officials are alive to their core responsibilities.

“We are constrained to bring to your attention the activities of Hon. Ogundeji Iroju- a two-term lawmaker (elected on the platform of the APC) that currently represents Odigbo Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly which was proclaimed on the 3rd day of June 2019 by the Executive Governor of Ondo State.

“The self-same Hon. Iroju Ogundeji is also currently a student at the Abuja Campus of the Nigerian Law School.

“It is a well known fact students admitted to the Nigerian Law School are supposed to be physically present full time while we are also aware that the membership of the Ondo State House of Assembly is also supposed to be a full-time public assignment.

“The reality is that Hon. Iroju Ogundeji uses proxies to perform his functions at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja while he is on his seat at the Ondo State House of Assembly.

“Similarly, he is undergoing Chambers Attachment at R.O Kazeem & Co,(Legal Practitioners) at Ikare Akoko while he did his mandatory Court Attachment at the Chief Magistrate Court No. 4, Akure.

From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that the membership of Hon. Iroju Ogundeji at the Ondo State House of Assembly and his studentship at the Nigeria Law School, Abuja are two full-time assignments which cannot be performed pari-passu.

“We had earlier drawn the attention of the affected Honourable member to this state of affairs and the need to ensure that he does not allow his current studentship at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja to affect his core responsibility of rendering effective representation to his constituents at Odigbo 1 at the Ondo State House of Assembly coupled with his administrative functions as the Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, but the Honourable member chose to turn deaf ears.

“Hence, we were left without any other option than to present this petition to your good office.

“We therefore urge you sir to use your good offices in ensuring that Honourable Ogundeji Iroju be made to forfeit his present studentship at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja so as to allow him to fully concentrate on his public service as the lawmaker representing Odigbo 1 Constituency in the Ondo State of Assembly in addition to other appropriate disciplinary actions you may wish to initiate.