The speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele has been accused of administering the oath of office on two lawmakers without Certificates of Return.
She escaped arrest yesterday, August 26, as she reportedly flew 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 not lucky as they 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.
Report has it that they were earlier invited to the force headquarters for interrogation over the matter and the police had last Thursday, concluded investigation into the alleged fraudulent oath.
It was gathered 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 (IGP) by the Ondo state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) 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 INEC.
However, when the state’s police public relations officer, Mr. 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 are both men. Oyebo Aladetan from Ilaje Constituency 2 polled 9 votes, while Soji Akinkuolie had no vote.
Her election came after the demise of the late speaker, Samuel Adesina in February 2014.
