Ondo Assembly crisis deepens as Lawmakers suspend plenary over Speaker’s refusal to resign

The storm engulfing the Ondo State House of Assembly is witnessing a new development after legislators announced that they will not resume their sitting until the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji resigns from his position.

According to the spokesman of the Assembly, Mr. Olatunji Ifabiyi, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Akure on Monday, it is the wish of the majority of the legislature to see Speaker Oladiji resign.

According to Ifabiyi, most of the Assembly members are determined to see the Speaker leave the position as the leadership cannot survive under the present situation.

The leadership crisis stems from allegations that the Speaker unilaterally altered the arrangement of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) 2025 budget, valued at N9.2 billion, without the approval of the House.

NAN reports that 21 of the 26 members of the Assembly had signed a resolution to impeach the Speaker if he failed to resign.

“We have resolved not to hold plenary until there is a change of speaker.

“For now, there is no development except that Mr Speaker should just give way and allow another person to preside over the Ondo State House of Assembly.

“If he doesn’t resign, we will impeach him. If he fails to do the needful, we will do the needful,” he said.

The spokesperson, who did not disclose when the Assembly would convene for plenary, stated that he was not aware of any meeting on Sunday with the state executive in resolving the crisis.

Ifabiyi also said that the allegation of assassination on a member of the Assembly had been reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

Speaking to NAN, a principal officer of the Assembly, who spoke on anonymity, said that the state executive had intervened in the crisis.

“There was a peace broker yesterday (Sunday) with the executive, and we are not permitted to disclose details of the outcome of the meeting.

“I don’t want to be the first to breach the agreement. But I can tell you that the matter has been resolved, but I will not tell you if it was in anyone’s favour.

“We too implore internal mechanisms on the agitations in the House of the Assembly, and we are going to hold plenary soon,” he stated. (NAN)