Olamide Oladiji, Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, is reportedly facing impeachment over the alleged diversion of N44 million released by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
There are reports that about 21 of the 26 members of the
assembly have signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker over allegations
bordering on financial mismanagement.
The money, said to be for the reordering of the OSOPADEC
2026 budget, has reportedly thrown the assembly into crisis in the past few
days.
Multiple sources within the legislature alleged that the
speaker has come under pressure in recent days as the controversy deepens.
According to the sources, some lawmakers accused Oladiji of
failing to carry members along in the disbursement of the money, a development
said to have fuelled fresh discontent within the assembly.
The crisis, they added, could also affect the position of
Ololade Gbegudu, the deputy speaker, while Benjamin Jaiyeola, the assembly
clerk, may be redeployed.
A source claimed the speaker considered stepping down on
Monday ahead of a possible discussion of the matter during Tuesday’s plenary
but was persuaded against the move.
“The Speaker contemplated resigning today but did not go
ahead with it. The issue is connected to an alleged N44 million involving funds
reportedly released by OSOPADEC to the Assembly,” the source alleged.
“The money was meant for the entire House, but there are
allegations that the Speaker did not carry other lawmakers along in handling
the funds.”
Another source attributed the speaker’s decision to remain
in office to the intervention of a prominent political figure in the state.
“The Speaker wanted to resign today but did not eventually
do so because of political intervention. We will see what happens tomorrow,”
the source claimed.
However, in a statement, Oladiji dismissed the reports as
false and politically motivated.
The speaker described the alleged leadership crisis and
mismanagement of OSOPADEC funds as “sensationalised, malicious and entirely
fabricated”.
“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
reads.
“The report is a total figment of the imagination of its
authors and their nameless sources.”
The statement maintained that lawmakers independently
determine and manage their welfare and resource allocations, insisting that the
speaker only receives what is constitutionally due to his office.
It added that claims he sidelined members in the handling of
the alleged N44 million OSOPADEC fund were “a manufactured lie designed to
create artificial disaffection where none exists”.
Speaking with journalists, Oladiji also dismissed claims
that 21 lawmakers had demanded his resignation.
“I’m not aware of that,” he said.
“I’m a law-abiding citizen… I’m a Christian, I don’t believe in all that. Let her come up with evidence to confirm such allegations.”
‘RESIGN OR FACE CONSEQUENCES’
Meanwhile, Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, a member representing
Ilaje Constituency II, has alleged that she narrowly escaped death after
receiving threats to stop what she described as her investigation into alleged
bribery, forgery and corruption involving the speaker and OSOPADEC.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the lawmaker accused the
speaker of attempting to intimidate her over the alleged impeachment move.
“Let me put this short word here based on the rumour going
around. I have received numerous calls threatening me to halt my findings from
the ongoing investigation linking bribery, forgery and corruption between the
Speaker of the house of assembly and the OSOPADEC. Just now, I narrowly escaped
death. Kilode,” she alleged.
The lawmaker reaffirmed what she described as the position
of two-thirds of the house, urging the speaker to resign or “face the
consequences” of his actions.
She also alleged that funds meant for her constituency were
being diverted, vowing not to be intimidated.
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