Embattled Speaker of the crisis-ridden Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has alleged that the renewed move to impeach him was orchestrated by aggrieved lawmakers, who failed to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets to contest the 2027 general election.
Oladiji, who is battling impeachment over allegations of mismanaging N44 million released by Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), described the plot as politically-motivated rather than a genuine concern over his leadership.
The assembly was thrown into fresh turmoil following reports that 21 of the 26 lawmakers endorsed an impeachment notice against the Speaker.
The legislators had accused Oladiji of improperly handling funds approved for the reordering of the OSOPADEC 2026 budget and vowed to suspend plenary indefinitely until he either resigned or was removed.
Reacting to the allegations yesterday in Akure, Oladiji dismissed the accusations as a smokescreen for political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said some members of the house are uncomfortable with the possibility of his return as Speaker if he wins re-election, believing he still enjoys the confidence and backing of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
‘They don’t want me to come back as Speaker in 2027. This is the major issue. We are politicians and we know what is happening. Why did these complaints not come in the last three years? Why now during the election period?’ he asked.
The Speaker maintained that the assembly had remained stable throughout his three years in office and insisted that the current crisis was fuelled by political interests rather than administrative failure.
Hoping the impasse would soon be resolved, Oladiji said leaders of the APC and other key stakeholders had stepped in to mediate between the opposing camps.
‘We are distinguished colleagues and we know how to settle our differences. Leaders of the party are already intervening, and by the grace of God, this issue will become history within the next one week,’ he added.
However, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, dismissed the Speaker’s claims, insisting the impeachment move had no connection with the APC primary election or lawmakers who failed to obtain return tickets.
Fabiyi said the lawmakers acted after what they described as repeated cases of misconduct, abuse of office and constitutional violations allegedly committed by the Speaker.
‘He keeps making excuses. First, he claimed the Minister of Interior was sponsoring us. Now he says it is because some of us lost our tickets. This is not the issue,’ Fabiyi said.
He further accused Oladiji of unilaterally issuing a resolution on the reordering of the state budget without the approval of the house, describing the action as unconstitutional, unlawful and fraudulent.
Fabiyi stressed that the lawmakers remained united in their position and would not reverse their decision, insisting that the Speaker must vacate office in line with the resolution reached by the majority of members.
The latest development has further deepened the leadership crisis in the assembly, with both camps maintaining hardline positions, even as party leaders intensify efforts to broker peace and prevent the dispute from escalating.