House of Assembly Speaker Gets Sunday Deadline to Resign or Face Impeachment, Details Emerge
- 21 of 26 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly signed an impeachment notice against Speaker Olamide Oladiji over alleged corruption
- The lawmakers accused the speaker of collecting N44 million from OSOPADEC on their behalf and allegedly writing a resolution in their names without their consent
- A female lawmaker said her life was threatened after she pressed for an investigation into the speaker's alleged diversion of funds
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Akure, Ondo state - 21 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have given Speaker Olamide Oladiji an ultimatum to resign or face removal from office over allegations of financial misconduct and fraud.
As reported on Thursday, July 23, by The Punch, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, announced this on Wednesday, July 22, in Akure, confirming that the lawmakers had already signed an impeachment notice but chose to grant the speaker a few additional days to step down voluntarily.
Source: Original
Failure to do so before the deadline expires would trigger his removal at the next plenary session, Premium Times noted.
With 21 of the 26-member Assembly backing the move, the lawmakers have cleared the statutory two-thirds majority required to proceed with an impeachment.
What sparked Ondo crisis
Fabiyi said the trouble started with the handling of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) budget reordering. He alleged that a resolution was drafted in the names of House members without their knowledge or consent, and that the document falsely presented the resolution as one collectively agreed upon by the legislature.
"A resolution was written in the name of members without our knowledge. It was stated that members had sat down and agreed to it and that it was our resolution, which it was not," Fabiyi said. "It is a criminal offence. You cannot shave our heads behind our backs."
He also addressed claims that the push to remove the speaker was being driven by the executive, saying the House leadership had only briefed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as a courtesy. The governor had appealed for more time to resolve the matter internally, but the lawmakers said they remained firm in their demand.
Separately, lawmaker Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, who represents Ilaje Constituency II, said her life had been threatened because she continued to push for an investigation into the speaker's alleged handling of N44 million collected from OSOPADEC on behalf of members. She accused Oladiji of attempting to intimidate her after she raised concerns about the diversion of funds meant for riverine communities in Ilaje Local Government Area.
Source: Twitter
Ondo speaker denies allegations
The speaker has flatly rejected every allegation against him. A statement from his office on Tuesday said he had no intention to resign and denied any knowledge of an impeachment process or internal crisis within the Assembly.
"We state unequivocally, without an atom of ambiguity, that Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji never contemplated resigning, nor is there any leadership crisis within the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly," the statement read, describing the reports as "a total figment of the imagination of its authors" sponsored by political detractors.
He also dismissed Mrs Fayemi-Obayelu's claims as "sensational, malicious, and entirely fabricated."
Legit.ng could not independently verify the claims made by either side at the time of filing this report. This newspaper had earlier reported on the initial allegations that Oladiji collected N44 million from OSOPADEC on behalf of members without distributing the funds.
Read more Ondo state news
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- Ondo: Over 150 civil servants at risk of being homeless as govt marks houses for demolition in Akure
Ondo gov reveals government house bomb plot
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governor Aiyedatiwa of Ondo revealed how security operatives recently foiled a plot to bomb the Government House in Akure, describing the operation as one of several “silent victories” recorded in the state’s fight against insecurity.
Aiyedatiwa said the planned attack was uncovered about following intelligence reports on suspicious activities of a group of youths allegedly targeting the seat of government.
Source: Legit.ng
