Ondo Assembly Gives Fresh Update on Impeachment Move Against Speaker

The Ondo Assembly has given fresh update on impeachment process against Speaker Olamide Oladiji.

According to the lawmakers, the process has not been abandoned, despite efforts by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to resolve the crisis within the legislature.

Lawmakers maintained that the plan to remove the Speaker remains active, stressing that the process was only paused to allow the ruling party to intervene in the dispute.

The fresh position was made known during the Assembly’s parliamentary sitting, the first after several months of legislative inactivity.

Members of the House said Oladiji continues to occupy the Speaker’s seat because the APC leadership stepped into the matter in a bid to restore peace and prevent further divisions within the Assembly.

The Speaker has been under pressure following allegations that he mismanaged N44 million reportedly released by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

The funds were said to have been provided for the reordering of the commission’s 2026 budget.

The allegations triggered a move by lawmakers to begin impeachment proceedings against the Speaker, with reports indicating that 21 of the 26 members of the Assembly endorsed a notice seeking his removal.

Oladiji has, however, rejected the allegations and insisted that the impeachment plot was not based on financial misconduct.

According to him, the move against him is politically motivated rather than a genuine attempt to address issues relating to the leadership of the Assembly.

Speaking after Tuesday’s sitting, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Ifabiyi, said members had not abandoned the impeachment process.

He explained that lawmakers were waiting for further direction from the leadership of the APC before taking the next step.

According to Ifabiyi, party leaders considered it necessary to intervene because of the implications of the crisis on governance and the stability of the House.

He said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the leader of the APC in Ondo State, had become involved in efforts to resolve the disagreement among lawmakers.

The lawmaker noted that members remained committed to protecting the integrity of the Assembly and would act in line with decisions reached after consultations with the party leadership.

Recall that Ondo State House of Assembly lawmakers initiated moves to remove Speaker Olamide Oladiji over allegations relating to the handling of funds released by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

The impeachment notice, reportedly backed by 21 of the 26 lawmakers, accused the Speaker of mismanaging N44 million released for the reordering of the OSOPADEC 2026 budget.

The development immediately triggered consultations within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with party leaders stepping in to prevent the crisis from escalating.

Responding to the allegations, Oladiji denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the impeachment plot was driven by politics rather than financial misconduct.

The Speaker said: “The impeachment move is politically motivated and not based on any act of financial mismanagement.”

He maintained that he had acted in accordance with the rules of the House and remained committed to carrying out his responsibilities.

The crisis also prompted intervention by the APC leadership in Ondo State, with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa holding consultations with lawmakers in an effort to restore peace within the Assembly.

Following one of the meetings, members of the House agreed to suspend further action to allow the party to mediate.

However, lawmakers later made it clear that the impeachment process had not been abandoned.