Alleged N44m Fraud: Ondo Assembly Members Insist On Speaker’s Impeachment

Members of Ondo State House of Assembly have insisted that the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, should resign from his position or stands to be impeached.

Lawmakers stated this on Wednesday after the plenary session.

The Speaker has been accused of reordering the budget of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) unilaterally.

Disclosing the decision of the lawmakers, the Chairman , House Committee on Information, Tunji Fabiyi, the just waiting for the outcome of the intervention by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before taking the next step.

He disclosed that the impeachment process subsists, saying “We are still waiting for the leadership of the party. We cannot proceed further until the party gives us direction, so the matter is pending,”

According to him, it’s right that the executive is not interfering in legislative affairs, but appropriate for the ruling party to mediate because all the 26 members of the Assembly are APC card-carrying members.

He said: “We are still waiting for the leadership of the party. We are unable to proceed further until the leadership of the party asks us to proceed. So it is pending. We are still on course.

“It is normal for the party to intervene because we are all members of the same family. The APC has total control of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

“Our father should call all his sons together to discuss whatever crisis has arisen so that it can be resolved. But our father will not prefer one person at the expense of the other 26 members.

“It is our party, and the fact remains that we want to change the kind of leadership we currently have. There is no opposition among us; we all belong to the same political party. Our father will not prefer one person at the expense of 26 members. Our father will not do that.”

Moreover, Fabiyi explained that the Assembly reconvened in response to public concerns over the prolonged absence of plenary sittings, assuring the people of the commitment of members to their constitutional responsibility.

He revealed that the House passed resolutions on key developmental issues and also constituted an audit committee expected to examine the Assembly’s financial and administrative records and make recommendations where necessary.

Fabiyi said: “The House deliberated on issues affecting the state, including constituency projects, flooding and other developmental challenges confronting communities across Ondo State.

“Lawmakers from riverine areas raised concerns over recurring flooding, prompting the Assembly to pass resolutions and call on relevant government agencies to take urgent action.

“The House adjourned to reconvene in about two weeks and directed all standing committees to resume their regular sittings and oversight functions.”