A Member Representing Ondo West Constituency one and Deputy-Minority Leader, Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Tomide Akinribido has called on Police, State Security Service and other relevant security agencies to rise up and perform their constitutional roles by enforcing the court judgements which re-instated the four suspended members of the assembly.
Insisting that the leadership of the legislature has been served with the court orders, the Lawmaker said it was unfortunate that those saddled with the responsibility of making laws are now disobeying valid court orders.
In a statement he signed on Friday, Akinribido said, “we should amend our constitution to scrap the judicial arm of government since court orders are no longer obeyed. There’s no reason for Judges to continue sitting on cases if their judgements, directives and orders won’t be respected.
“Separation of powers is the most pivotal aspect of constitutional democracy, the judiciary is to adjudicate on issues brought before it and its judgments are binding on all regardless of the suitability.
“We should stop pretending that we are practicing democracy if the rule of law has no place in our political system and court orders are wantonly disregarded especially by those referred to as “Lawmakers”.
“The court has rightly decided that elected lawmakers cannot be prevented from representing their constituencies by their colleagues who were equally elected like them-That is not a contestable fact.
“The house of assembly, a parliament, is not supposed to be a place where all legislators have the same political orientation and follow the same political direction- it is a place where ideas and ideologies can be at opposing sides but the interest of the citizens must supercede all pecuniary political interest.
“What is currently happening in the Ondo State House of Assembly cannot be said to be in the interest of the citizens of Ondo state.
“We have toed the path of law, due process and legality even in the face of illegality, intimidation, victimization and injustice. The Attorney-General(a SAN) and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice are parties to the court suits and were both present in court when the judgments were given, how will history record them for their ignoble role in failing to advise their clients to obey lawful court orders?
“We have prevailed on our constituents who have been restless and agitated about the ugly development to exercise patience and not to take laws into their hands.”
The four members, supporters of enstranged Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, were suspended by theiir four colleagues for, allegedly, refusing to support Ajayi’s impeachment.
They went to court and got judgement both at High Court and the Appellate Court. But the leadership of the Assembly has refused to obey the Court orders.
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