Resign or face impeachment, Ondo lawmakers tell Speaker

Ondo State House of Assembly lawmakers have intensified moves to remove Speaker Olamide Oladiji, giving him until Sunday to resign or face impeachment proceedings over allegations relating to the handling of funds earmarked for the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC). Twenty-one of the 26 members of the House are said to have signed […]

Ondo State House of Assembly lawmakers have intensified moves to remove Speaker Olamide Oladiji, giving him until Sunday to resign or face impeachment proceedings over allegations relating to the handling of funds earmarked for the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

Twenty-one of the 26 members of the House are said to have signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker over alleged financial misconduct.

Oladiji was accused of diverting N-44 million from funds allocated for the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, said lawmakers had given the Speaker a few days to resign, failing which he would be removed at the next plenary sitting.

Fabiyi said the governor had intervened in the matter but ultimately allowed the lawmakers to carry out their legislative responsibilities.

“We have resolved that the Speaker should go. But in the wisdom of the leadership of the House, we felt we should meet with the governor.

“We took the resolution of members to the governor because, during the previous attempt, people accused us of being sponsored.

“To avoid that impression, the leadership of the House informed the governor that this is not about him. This is about what the Speaker allegedly did, and we no longer want him to lead us.

“Twenty-one members have signed for his removal. However, we decided not to act hastily and therefore consulted the governor.

“The governor requested some time. We have no issue with him. The problem concerns the OSOPADEC budget. A resolution was written in the names of members without our knowledge. It was stated that members had agreed to it and that it represented our resolution, which was not the case.

“It is a criminal offense. You cannot shave our heads behind our backs. That is what we are fighting for. 

“We are giving him until Sunday. If he fails to resign, we will remove him,” Fabiyi said.

The House spokesman said lawmakers would reconvene at the next plenary sitting to decide the Speaker’s fate.

On Monday, a member of the Assembly, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the Speaker and his deputy diverted N44 million meant for the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget.

The lawmaker also alleged that the Speaker reordered the budget without carrying other members of the House along.

“Yes, we are removing him. We 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.

“We started the process about three weeks ago, but the governor had been engaging us, which is why we delayed it. The governor also advised him to resign when we met with him. So, we are removing him,” the lawmaker said.

When contacted by telephone, the Speaker denied the allegations and said he was not aware of any impeachment notice.