Ondo speaker dismisses impeachment claims, says Thursday tension resolved

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has dismissed reports of an impeachment plot against him, saying no formal process had been initiated to remove him from office.

Oladiji said the disagreement that disrupted legislative activities at the Assembly complex on Thursday had been resolved following the intervention of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress.

Explaining the cause of the tension, the speaker said three youths he had invited arrived at the assembly and were questioned by a lawmaker about their purpose at the reception.

According to him, the youths explained that they were at the complex over recruitment-related matters and had no intention of interfering with the affairs of the house. He said he intervened when their presence began generating tension and directed them to leave the premises.

Oladiji also rejected the description of the visitors as hoodlums, insisting that they were youth leaders who did not engage in violence, intimidation or any act capable of disrupting legislative proceedings.

The speaker said the disagreement was later discussed among the lawmakers and resolved, although the development consumed substantial time and prevented the house from holding its scheduled sitting.

He appealed to his colleagues to put their differences aside and concentrate on their constitutional responsibilities, urging them not to allow political disagreements to undermine the functioning of the assembly.

Oladiji apologised to the people of Ondo State over the disruption and assured them of the assembly’s commitment to peace and effective legislation, saying, “I want to tender my sincere apology to the people of Ondo State that, as far as the Ondo State House of Assembly is concerned under my watch, I want to give them 100 per cent assurance that peace will continue to reign.”