No plenary until Speaker resigns – Ondo Assembly
Ondo Assembly Plenary on Hold Amid Speaker’s Resignation Demands
AKURE, Nigeria — The Ondo State House of Assembly will not convene for plenary sessions until Speaker Olamide Oladiji resigns, according to Mr. Olatunji Ifabiyi, the Assembly’s spokesperson.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, Ifabiyi emphasized that a majority of lawmakers support the push for the Speaker’s resignation. This situation has escalated into a crisis, primarily triggered by allegations of the Speaker’s unilateral changes to the 2025 budget of the Ondo State Oil Producing Development Commission (OSOPADEC), which totals N9.2 billion.
Reports indicate that 21 out of 26 Assembly members have signed a resolution to impeach the Speaker should he refuse to step down.
“We have resolved not to hold plenary until there is a change of Speaker,” Ifabiyi stated. “Currently, there is no development except a call for the Speaker to resign and allow another individual to preside over the Assembly. If he does not resign, we will pursue impeachment.”
While Ifabiyi did not specify when the Assembly might hold plenary again, he noted he was unaware of any meetings taking place on Sunday with the state executive aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis.
Additionally, Ifabiyi confirmed that allegations of an assassination threat against a member of the Assembly have been reported to the relevant authorities for investigation.
A principal officer within the Assembly, speaking anonymously, mentioned that the state executive had intervened in the matter.
“There was a peace meeting yesterday (Sunday) with the executive, and we are not allowed to disclose the specifics of the meeting’s outcome,” the officer said. “While I cannot reveal if it benefited anyone, we hope to utilize internal mechanisms to address the issues in the Assembly and plan to hold plenary soon.”
