The speaker of the Ondo state House of
Assembly, Jumoke Akindele, has been accused of administering the oath of
office to two lawmakers without Certificates of Return.
According to Daily Sun report, she escaped arrest yesterday, August
26, as she reportedly fled from her official quarters located at
Alagbaka area of Akure when she got wind of the presence of security
operatives from Abuja.
But the house clerk, Bode Adeyelu and the two lawmakers, Messes Abayomi Akinruntan and Malachi Coker were arrested by the police from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja.
The two lawmakers, representing Ilaje 1 and 11 state constituencies of the state, were allegedly sworn-in illegally on June 1, without Certificates of Return.
Reportedly they were earlier invited to the force headquarters for interrogation over the matter and the police had last Thursday concluded an investigation into the alleged fraudulent oath.
It was learned that resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Segun Agbaje and the two returning officers for Ilaje I and II in the April 11 House of Assembly election, had also been invited by the police for interrogation.
The police were reportedly acting on a petition addressed to the inspector general of police by the Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress through its lawyer, Charles Titiloye, that the speaker and the clerk allegedly conspired to fraudulently swear in Akinruntan and Coker, without the Certificates of Return by the INEC.
However, when the state’s police public relations officer, Wole Ogodo, was contacted, he said he was not aware of the development.
Over a year ago, Jumoke Akindele became the first female speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly.
Akindele, who represents Okitipupa Constituency II, was elected by a majority vote as she polled 13 votes, defeating two other contestants, who were both men. Oyebo Aladetan from Ilaje Constituency 2 polled 9 votes, while Soji Akinkuolie had no vote.
Her election came after the death of the late speaker, Samuel Adesina in February 2014.
But the house clerk, Bode Adeyelu and the two lawmakers, Messes Abayomi Akinruntan and Malachi Coker were arrested by the police from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja.
The two lawmakers, representing Ilaje 1 and 11 state constituencies of the state, were allegedly sworn-in illegally on June 1, without Certificates of Return.
Reportedly they were earlier invited to the force headquarters for interrogation over the matter and the police had last Thursday concluded an investigation into the alleged fraudulent oath.
It was learned that resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Segun Agbaje and the two returning officers for Ilaje I and II in the April 11 House of Assembly election, had also been invited by the police for interrogation.
The police were reportedly acting on a petition addressed to the inspector general of police by the Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress through its lawyer, Charles Titiloye, that the speaker and the clerk allegedly conspired to fraudulently swear in Akinruntan and Coker, without the Certificates of Return by the INEC.
However, when the state’s police public relations officer, Wole Ogodo, was contacted, he said he was not aware of the development.
Over a year ago, Jumoke Akindele became the first female speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly.
Akindele, who represents Okitipupa Constituency II, was elected by a majority vote as she polled 13 votes, defeating two other contestants, who were both men. Oyebo Aladetan from Ilaje Constituency 2 polled 9 votes, while Soji Akinkuolie had no vote.
Her election came after the death of the late speaker, Samuel Adesina in February 2014.
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