The Ondo State House of Assembly crisis has deepened after a majority of lawmakers gave Speaker Olamide Oladiji until Sunday to resign or face impeachment over alleged financial misconduct.
According to Punch, 21 of the 26 lawmakers have signed an impeachment notice accusing the Speaker of diverting N44 million 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, said the lawmakers had unanimously resolved that Oladiji should leave office, adding that they had informed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of their decision to avoid claims that the move was politically motivated.
Fabiyi said the governor requested time after the lawmakers presented their position but stressed that the dispute was strictly a legislative matter linked to the handling of the OSOPADEC budget.
He alleged that a resolution was prepared in the lawmakers’ names without their knowledge, describing the action as unacceptable and insisting the Speaker no longer had the confidence of the House.
The lawmakers warned that if Oladiji failed to resign by Sunday, they would reconvene at the next plenary sitting to complete the impeachment process.
The impeachment move follows allegations that the Speaker, alongside his deputy, diverted N44 million meant for the OSOPADEC budget reordering and carried out the exercise without the approval of other members.
A lawmaker, who spoke anonymously, claimed the impeachment process had begun about three weeks ago but was delayed following intervention by Governor Aiyedatiwa. The source further alleged that the governor had advised the Speaker to step down honourably.
Responding to the allegations, Speaker Oladiji denied any wrongdoing and said he was unaware of any impeachment notice.
