Ondo Speaker Faces Impeachment Threat Over Alleged N44m OSOPADEC Fund Mismanagement
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, is facing an impeachment threat over allegations of mismanaging N44 million reportedly released by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
About 21 of the 26 lawmakers in the assembly are said to have signed an impeachment notice against the speaker over alleged financial mismanagement.
The controversy reportedly centres on the N44 million released for the reordering of the commission’s 2026 budget and has triggered tension within the assembly in recent days.
Sources within the legislature alleged that some lawmakers were unhappy with the speaker for allegedly failing to involve members in the disbursement of the funds.
The development could also affect the position of Ololade Gbegudu, deputy speaker, while Benjamin Jaiyeola, clerk of the assembly, may reportedly be redeployed.
One of the sources claimed Oladiji considered resigning on Monday ahead of a possible discussion of the matter during Tuesday’s plenary but was persuaded to remain in office.
“The Speaker contemplated resigning today but did not go ahead with it. The issue is connected to an alleged N44 million involving funds reportedly released by OSOPADEC to the Assembly,” the source said.
“The money was meant for the entire House, but there are allegations that the Speaker did not carry other lawmakers along in handling the funds.”
Another source attributed the speaker’s decision to remain in office to the intervention of a prominent political figure in the state.
However, Oladiji has dismissed the reports, describing them as false and politically motivated.
In a statement, the speaker described claims of a leadership crisis and mismanagement of OSOPADEC funds as “sensationalised, malicious and entirely fabricated”.
“We state unequivocally, without an atom of ambiguity, that Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji never contemplated resigning, nor is there any leadership crisis within the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly,” the statement said.
“The report is a total figment of the imagination of its authors and their nameless sources.”
The statement added that lawmakers independently determine and manage their welfare and resource allocations, while the speaker only receives what is constitutionally due to his office.
It also dismissed allegations that Oladiji sidelined lawmakers in the handling of the N44 million as “a manufactured lie designed to create artificial disaffection where none exists”.
Speaking with journalists, the speaker also denied reports that 21 lawmakers had demanded his resignation.
“I’m not aware of that,” he said.
“I’m a law-abiding citizen. I’m a Christian, I don’t believe in all that. Let her come up with evidence to confirm such allegations.”
Lawmaker alleges threat to life
Meanwhile, Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, lawmaker representing Ilaje Constituency II, alleged that she narrowly escaped death after receiving threats over her alleged investigation into claims of bribery, forgery and corruption involving the speaker and OSOPADEC.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Fayemi-Obayelu accused the speaker of attempting to intimidate her over the alleged impeachment proceedings.
“Let me put this short word here based on the rumour going around. I have received numerous calls threatening me to halt my findings from the ongoing investigation linking bribery, forgery and corruption between the Speaker of the house of assembly and the OSOPADEC. Just now, I narrowly escaped death. Kilode,” she alleged.
The lawmaker said she stood by what she described as the position of two-thirds of the assembly, urging the speaker to resign or “face the consequences” of his actions.
She further alleged that funds meant for her constituency were being diverted, insisting that she would not be intimidated.
