SOME lawmakers-elect in the Osun State House of Assembly, yesterday, challenged the rule of the Assembly allowing only ranking members to vie for the speakership of the House.
The lawmakers-elect, including Lawal Rasheed, representing Osogbo Constituency, and Oyewusi Akinyode of Ife-North Constituency, have dragged the House of Assembly, the Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, and the Clerk of the House, before a State High Court.
The two lawmakers, in an originating, summon, want the court to declare Rule 4(a) of the Osun State House of Assembly Legislative Standing Rule null and void for running contrary to the provision of section 92(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
It reads: “Whether the provision of Rule 4 (a) of the Osun State House of Assembly Legislative Standing Rule to the effect that the Speaker of the House Assembly shall be from among the ranking members-elect of the House of Assembly is not contrary to the provision of section 92(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), therefore unconstitutional, null and void.
“And upon the determination of the question, the plaintiffs shall be seeking the following reliefs at the hearing:
“A declaration that the provision of Rule 4(a) of the Osun State House of Assembly Legislative Standing Rules is inconsistency with the provision of section 92(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), thereby unconstitutional null and void.
“An order of injunction restraining the defendants from enforcing or applying the provision of Rule 4(a) of the Osun State House of Assembly Legislative Standing Rules same being inconsistent with the provision of 92(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”
Vanguard
