The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has stated that the attempt by some aggrieved lawmakers to impeach him stems from their grievances with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The embattled Speaker, who described the impeachment plot as a misplaced priority, said the Assembly cannot be frustrated or distracted from amending and passing the reordered 2025 Appropriation Act.
Oladiji’s position followed the backing he received from 14 lawmakers in the state, who passed a vote of confidence in his leadership of the Assembly.
Twelve of the 26 lawmakers had, a few days ago, passed a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, accusing him of gross misconduct and misappropriation of Assembly funds.
A crisis broke out in the Assembly after the lawmakers staged a walkout in protest against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s N531 billion supplementary budget, accusing Oladiji of attempting to hasten the passage of the bill despite the poor performance of the 2025 budget and less than two months remaining in the fiscal year.
The Speaker, who was flanked by the Deputy Speaker, Olalade Gbegudu; the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi; and Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu (Ilaje 2), emphasised that failing to attend to the amendment — the position taken by the aggrieved legislators — would cripple the government of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; hence, the Assembly must act responsibly.
Stressing that the Assembly under his watch will continue to perform its constitutional duties without needless politicking ahead of the 2027 general elections, Oladiji added that he has been piloting the affairs of the Assembly in accordance with its rules and standing orders.
“We have the opinion that if at all we have a request, or if at all we have any demand from His Excellency or the executive, we should not tie it with our legislative assignments, which is the reordering or what we call the supplementary budgets,” he said.