Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly has given the embattled Speaker, Olamide Oladiji a deadline to resign or be impeached over allegations of financial misconduct.
A majority of members of the Assembly have now issued a fresh ultimatum to the Speaker, demanding his resignation before Sunday or risk being impeached when the House reconvenes for plenary.
POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported the Assembly accused the speaker that funds connected to the reordering of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) budget were improperly handled.
No fewer than 21 lawmakers are said to have endorsed an impeachment notice against the Speaker, a figure that represents a clear majority of the 26-member legislature.
Speaking on the matter, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, confirmed that members had reached a decision regarding the Speaker’s continued stay in office.
According to him, lawmakers initially chose to engage Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa before taking further action to avoid claims that external forces were behind the impeachment plot.
Fabiyi said the lawmakers wanted the governor to understand that their decision was based on internal concerns within the legislature and not political influence.
“We have resolved that Mr Speaker should go. But in the wisdom of the leadership of the House, we felt we should meet with Mr Governor,” he said.
“And we have taken the resolution of the members to Mr Governor. Because the one we did before, they were castigating us, saying somebody was sponsoring us.”
He added, “So, to avoid that, the leadership of the House went to Mr Governor to tell him that this one is not about him. This is what Mr Speaker has done, and we don’t want him anymore. He is the one leading us, and we don’t want him to lead us again.”
The lawmaker disclosed that 21 members had already signed the impeachment notice and insisted that the majority of the House had lost confidence in the Speaker’s leadership.
“Twenty-one members have signed for his removal. But in the wisdom of the leadership of the House, not to make it appear as if we are striking too quickly, we went to Mr Governor,” Fabiyi stated.
He explained that the governor requested time to look into the matter but stressed that the dispute was strictly between lawmakers and the Speaker.
According to him, the controversy centres on the handling of the OSOPADEC budget and a resolution allegedly prepared and presented in the name of lawmakers without their consent.
“On this issue, we don’t have any problem with Mr Governor. It is about the OSOPADEC budget. 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.”
“It is a criminal offence. You cannot shave our heads behind our backs. That is what we are fighting for,” he said.
Fabiyi further warned that lawmakers were determined to conclude the process if the Speaker failed to voluntarily step aside.
“So, if somebody is protecting him, it means that person is aiding and abetting him. We are giving him till Sunday. If he fails to resign, we will remove him,” he declared.
The latest threat comes days after allegations emerged that the Speaker and his deputy were involved in the diversion of N44 million earmarked for the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget.
A member of the Assembly, who spoke anonymously, claimed that the budget adjustments were carried out without the knowledge or approval of most lawmakers.
The lawmaker also maintained that members had already commenced impeachment proceedings and were only giving the Speaker an opportunity to leave office voluntarily.
“Yes, we are removing him. We just want him to resign honourably and, if he fails to do so, we will impeach him on the floor of the House. We have initiated an impeachment notice, and 21 members have already signed,” the lawmaker said.
“We started the process about three weeks ago, but the governor has been talking to us, which is why we delayed it. But now, the governor has advised him to resign when we met with him. So, we are removing him.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Speaker Oladiji has rejected the allegations levelled against him. He denied any wrongdoing and dismissed claims that an impeachment process was underway.
Reacting to the accusations, the Speaker said he was unaware of any impeachment notice and maintained that the allegations against him were unfounded.
