The Ondo State House of Assembly is facing a severe political crisis after a supermajority of lawmakers issued a strict ultimatum demanding the resignation of the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, over allegations of financial misconduct. A total of 21 out of the 26 members of the state legislature have signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker, establishing a clear two-thirds majority required for his removal. Lawmakers have warned that if Oladiji fails to step down voluntarily by Sunday, formal impeachment proceedings will be concluded on the floor of the House when it reconvenes for plenary.
The central conflict stems from allegations that the Speaker improperly handled and diverted approximately 44 million naira released by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC). Lawmakers claim that the funds were intended for the benefit of the entire legislature in connection with the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget. Discontent escalated further after members discovered that a official resolution had allegedly been written and presented in their names without their knowledge or consent, falsely indicating that the assembly had met and approved the budget adjustments.
Addressing journalists regarding the decision, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, confirmed that the members had firmly resolved that the Speaker must vacate his seat. Fabiyi explained that the leadership of the House recently met with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to present the resolution signed by the 21 lawmakers. He noted that the visit was intended to clarify that the impeachment effort is an internal legislative matter driven purely by accountability issues, rather than a plot sponsored by external political forces or directed against the executive branch.
Fabiyi criticized the handling of the OSOPADEC budget document as fraudulent and criminal, reiterating that members would not allow actions to be taken in their names without proper authorization. He confirmed that while Governor Aiyedatiwa requested a brief window to intervene and examine the dispute, the assembly members remain resolute in their timeline, giving the Speaker until Sunday to submit his resignation or face immediate removal.
The crisis has also drawn public attention following statements by Representative Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, who represents Ilaje Constituency II. She alleged receiving threats to her life and claimed to have narrowly escaped an assassination attempt tied to her investigation into the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for riverine development communities. Reaffirming her support for the two-thirds majority decision, she called on the Speaker to resign immediately.
In response to the escalating crisis, Speaker Olamide Oladiji has strongly rejected all allegations, describing the claims of fraud, budget forgery, and an impending impeachment as fabricated and politically motivated. Through an official statement from his office, Oladiji maintained that he had never contemplated resigning, denied any knowledge of a signed impeachment notice, and insisted that no leadership crisis exists within the 10th Assembly.
