The Ondo State House of Assembly has been thrown into fresh turmoil following allegations of a N44 million fraud linked to Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, with reports that no fewer than 21 of the 26 lawmakers have allegedly endorsed moves to impeach him.
The crisis deepened on Tuesday after a female lawmaker, Dr. Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, claimed her life was under threat over an ongoing probe into the alleged diversion of funds belonging to the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
Sources within the Assembly alleged that the Speaker unilaterally reordered the OSOPADEC budget to the tune of N44 million without the approval of the House and allegedly invoked Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s name to justify the action.
However, lawmakers were said to have discovered during a meeting with the governor that the claims were unfounded, prompting impeachment moves.
A source disclosed that while the governor reportedly appealed to the lawmakers to allow the Speaker resign instead of facing impeachment, at least 21 members had already signed an impeachment notice.
Reacting, Oladiji dismissed the allegations as false, malicious and politically motivated. In a statement titled “Fabricated Resignation and Baseless N44m OSOPADEC Allegations: A Disservice to Truth and an Insult to Logic,” the Speaker denied contemplating resignation or facing any leadership crisis, insisting that the report was sponsored by political detractors determined to destabilise the Assembly.
He maintained that members independently manage their welfare allocations and described claims that he sidelined lawmakers in handling any OSOPADEC funds as a “manufactured lie.”
The controversy took another twist when Dr. Fayemi-Obayelu, Vice Chairman of the House Committee on OSOPADEC, alleged that she had received threats to abandon her investigation into alleged bribery, forgery and corruption involving the Speaker and OSOPADEC officials.
She further claimed she narrowly escaped an attempt on her life and vowed not to be intimidated, reaffirming the decision of what she described as two-thirds of the Assembly members to demand the Speaker’s resignation or face impeachment.
Responding to the allegations, Oladiji denied any involvement in an assassination plot, challenged the lawmaker to provide evidence, and urged law enforcement agencies to conduct an independent investigation.
He also insisted he was unaware of any impeachment move against him.
