The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, has described the attempt by 21 lawmakers to remove him as “political calculations” ahead of the 2027 elections.
Oladiji said the lawmakers pushing the impeachment allegations over an alleged N44 million financial misconduct do not want him to return as Speaker in 2027.
According to him, they have been making similar complaints for the past three years.
The aggrieved lawmakers accused the Speaker of approving a resolution on the OSOPADEC budget reordering without the Assembly’s consent, and of presiding over only four plenary sessions in the last seven months, which they said had stalled legislative work.
They have vowed not to resume plenary until Oladiji steps down, despite several reconciliatory meetings with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and APC leaders in the state.
But the Speaker expressed confidence the crisis would be resolved soon through internal party mechanisms.
“We have the leader of the party in the APC, and they are trying to intervene. We have a way of settling our issues,” he said.
“By the grace of God, in another one week, it will become a thing of the past.”
However, Chairman of the House Committee on Information and House Spokesperson, Hon. Olatunji Ifabiyi, rejected Oladiji’s claim.
Ifabiyi said the dispute was about alleged misconduct and abuse of office, not 2027 tickets.
“The question is whether the Speaker should unilaterally issue a resolution claiming the House approved the OSOPADEC budget reordering without the Assembly’s approval,” he said.
Ifabiyi added that the lawmakers have resolved that the Speaker must resign or be impeached, warning that anyone supporting him is an accomplice
