They were accused of anti-party activities and expelled from the party.
The lawmakers representing Ese-Odo and Ilaje II state constituencies of Ondo State, Success Torhukerhijo and Favour Towomewo, respectively, have embarked on moves to reverse the declaration of their seats vacant.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, announced last week at plenary that the seats of the two lawmakers have been declared vacant.
The House acted on letters from the ward level of the two lawmakers addressed to the Chairman, All Progressives Congress, and subsequently sent to the House.
They were accused of anti-party activities and then expelled from the party.
While declaring the seats vacant, the Speaker also ordered that the letter be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The lawmakers were among those, led by the former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, who worked against the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi. Mr Ajayi had defected from the APC to the Zenith Labour Party to contest the last governorship election.
The lawmakers had been isolated by the leadership of the House, as they battled to survive the onslaught against them over their activities preceding the governorship election.
They were suspended by the House for alleged anti-party activities but had sought the protection of the courts.
Tomide Akinribido, a member of the ZLP, Ondo West, was also part of those persecuted by the house.
Both Mr Torhukerhijo and Mrs Tomomewo were expelled by the APC for the same offence in 2020, and efforts to get the party to rescind its decision did not yield results.
'Illegal and unconstitutional'
Speaking separately to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday on the phone, the embattled lawmakers said they had initiated moves to ensure that last week's declaration of their seats vacant did not stand.
Mrs Tomomewo said the act by the Speaker was unconstitutional and illegal, as none of them was invited for any hearing or was the other members informed before the decision was taken.
She also argued that it was unreasonable to declare her seat vacant over anti-party activities, by the same party that had expelled her in 2020.
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"The action is totally illegal and unconstitutional and we are certainly working out a plan to challenge and reverse the action of the house," she said.
According to Mr Tomomewo, the House had only continued its persecution of the lawmakers who had refused to sign the impeachment notice for the removal the former deputy governor.
She said she had commenced consultation with the relevant stakeholders and lawyers, who would help chart a path against the decision of the house.
For Mr Torhukerhijo, the problem is a product of the poor leadership of the assembly which had continued to be a stooge of the executive in the state.
"How can a Speaker receive a letter from a political party for him to declare our seats vacant, and without legislative scruntiny, goes ahead to do so?
"This is a demonstration of incompetent leadership, which has become the problem of the state."
He argued it was an absurdity for the party that expelled him in 2020, to turn around to accuse him of anti-party actions.
He said he had made efforts to reconcile with the party, but to no avail, and so he was free to associate with any political group of his choice.
According to Mr Torhukerijo, further actions against the House would be taken once he concluded his consultations within his constituency.
