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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Ondo lawmakers give Speaker ultimatum amid impeachment crisis, accuse governor of interference

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Ondo State lawmakers are demanding the impeachment of the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, over alleged financial misconduct.
  • Twenty-one of the 26 members have signed an impeachment notice, accusing the Speaker of diverting N44m.
  • Lawmakers claim Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is interfering with the impeachment process, giving the Speaker an ultimatum to resign.

Aggrieved lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly have issued a fresh ultimatum for the resignation of Speaker Olamide Oladiji, accusing him of financial misconduct. The crisis escalated after 21 out of 26 members signed an impeachment notice against Oladiji, alleging he diverted N44 million intended for the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission.

We still have seven days to go. I have the opinion that the government is calling some members and asking them to backpedal on the issue of impeachment.

— Olatunji FabiyiChairman of the House Committee on Information, explaining the delay in impeachment proceedings.

The lawmakers have given the Speaker until Sunday to step down or face impeachment proceedings. However, Oladiji has denied the allegations.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, stated that the impeachment was stalled due to alleged "undue interference" by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. Fabiyi claimed the governor is contacting some members to dissuade them from proceeding with the impeachment, questioning the governor's "special interest" in the matter.

So, I don’t know the special interest that the governor has. Twenty-one members have signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker.

— Olatunji FabiyiChairman of the House Committee on Information, questioning Governor Aiyedatiwa's involvement.

"We still have seven days to go. I have the opinion that the government is calling some members and asking them to backpedal on the issue of impeachment," Fabiyi said. "So, I don’t know the special interest that the governor has. Twenty-one members have signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker."

It’s exclusively a private affair of the House. It’s not an executive affair.

— Olatunji FabiyiChairman of the House Committee on Information, asserting the Assembly's autonomy.

Fabiyi urged the governor to allow the Assembly to handle its internal affairs, emphasizing that the matter is "exclusively a private affair of the House. It’s not an executive affair." He suggested that the governor's protection of the Speaker might indicate a "hidden agenda." The lawmakers insist on removing Oladiji, stating their decision is final unless the governor allows peace to prevail by letting the Speaker step aside.

If there is no hidden agenda, I see no reason why the governor should be protecting the Speaker. And if there is a hidden agenda, let him say it to the whole world now.

— Olatunji FabiyiChairman of the House Committee on Information, suggesting ulterior motives for the governor's actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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