Ondo Assembly Speaker Faces Impeachment, 21 Lawmakers Issue Resignation Ultimatum

Majority of lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly have issued a Sunday ultimatum to the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, to resign or face impeachment.

Twenty-one of the 26 members of the Assembly have reportedly signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker over allegations of financial misconduct.

The lawmakers accused Oladiji of diverting N44 million from funds allocated for the reordering of the budget of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, disclosed that the lawmakers had given the Speaker a few days to voluntarily step down, warning that failure to do so would result in his removal at the next plenary sitting.

Mr.Fabiyi said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had been briefed on the development but had allowed the Assembly to handle the matter in line with its constitutional responsibilities.

“Members have resolved that the Speaker should go, but in the wisdom of the leadership of the House, we felt it was necessary to brief the governor,” he said.

According to him, the leadership met with the governor to dispel claims that the impeachment move was being sponsored from outside the Assembly.

“We informed the governor that this has nothing to do with him. It is about what the Speaker allegedly did, and members no longer have confidence in his leadership,” Fabiyi stated.

He added that 21 lawmakers had already endorsed the impeachment notice but said the leadership decided to allow time for consultations after the governor requested a brief window before further action was taken.

Mr. Fabiyi maintained that the dispute stemmed from the handling of the OSOPADEC budget, alleging that a resolution was prepared and presented in the names of lawmakers without their knowledge or approval.