Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, has dismissed reports linking him to an alleged resignation plan amid growing controversy over an impeachment move said to be gathering support among lawmakers.
The Speaker also denied allegations of financial misconduct connected to the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
He insists that claims against him were false and politically motivated.
Recall, Politics Nigeria earlier reported the crisis within the Assembly, as some lawmakers allegedly pushed for Oladiji’s removal over allegations surrounding the handling of OSOPADEC budget matters and claims of procedural violations.
However, in a statement issued by his office, the Speaker maintained that there was no leadership crisis in the Assembly and that reports suggesting otherwise were designed to mislead the public.
The statement, titled “Re: Fabricated resignation rumours and baseless N44M OSOPADEC allegations: a disservice to truth and an insult to logic,” strongly rejected claims that he was considering stepping down from office.
“The attention of the Office of the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, has been drawn to a sensationalized, malicious, and entirely fabricated report, alleging an ongoing leadership crisis, an impending impeachment threat, and a contemplated resignation over an alleged N44 million OSOPADEC fund,” the statement read.
“We state unequivocally, without an atom of ambiguity, that Rt. Honourable Olamide Oladiji never contemplated resigning, nor is there any leadership crisis within the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly.”
The Speaker described the reports as false and accused unnamed individuals of attempting to create tension within the state through misinformation.
“The report is a total figment of the imagination of its authors and their nameless, cowardly sources. It is false, completely lacks merit, and is sponsored by desperate political detractors aimed at destabilising the legislative arm and heating up the polity.”
The started after allegations were made by Hon. Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, representing Ilaje Constituency II, who accused the Assembly leadership of irregularities linked to the consideration and adjustment of the OSOPADEC 2025 budget.
The lawmaker alleged that a disputed House resolution was used to effect changes to the commission’s budget and claimed lawmakers did not sit on the date stated in the document.
According to her, records of Assembly activities and lawmakers’ engagements would show that members were not present for any plenary session on the day the resolution allegedly originated.
Fayemi-Obayelu further alleged that concerns over the handling of the OSOPADEC budget eventually triggered dissatisfaction among lawmakers, leading to moves aimed at changing the Assembly’s leadership.
She claimed a majority of members had endorsed a document expressing loss of confidence in the Speaker.
The lawmaker also called on anti-corruption agencies and security institutions, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disputed resolution and the budget adjustment process.
Despite the allegations, Oladiji insisted that no valid impeachment process had been initiated against him and maintained that the Assembly remained stable.
The Speaker’s office also sought to clarify issues relating to the financial administration of the legislature, arguing that the allegations lacked factual foundation.
“Given that the sponsors of this rumor failed to present valid evidence, the premise of this fake news is not only absurd but also an insult to the intelligence of the reading public,” the statement added.
“To further expose the malicious intent of these anonymous ‘sources’, we wish to clarify the internal financial procedures of the Assembly.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State House of Assembly had not announced any formal impeachment proceedings against the Speaker.