Lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly are expected to decide the fates of Speaker Olamide Oladiji and Deputy Speaker Ololade Gbegudu during Tuesday’s plenary after they failed to resign over allegations surrounding the handling of ₦44 million reportedly received from the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), SaharaReporters has learnt.
The development follows SaharaReporters’ exclusive report on Monday that the Speaker had contemplated resigning amid mounting pressure from lawmakers but shelved the plan after the intervention of influential political figures.
Fresh sources within the Assembly told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that members had resolved to act during plenary if Oladiji and Gbegudu failed to resign.
According to the sources, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker Ololade Gbegudu and the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, allegedly handled the funds without the knowledge of other lawmakers.
But because the Clerk of the House is a civil servant, there are moves to redeploy.
“The leadership of the House has gathered and they are discussing the matter,” one source said.
“Both the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Clerk allegedly handled the issue without the knowledge of the other members.”
The source added that several interventions had been made to avert a public confrontation but lawmakers remained determined to take a decision during Tuesday’s sitting.
“Some people have been intervening and appealing for calm, but the members insist they will take a decision today during plenary,” the source said.
According to the source, lawmakers had given the Speaker the option of resigning quietly to avoid a public debate on the allegations.
“The possibility is high because they have been giving him the option of resigning. He wanted to do that yesterday (Monday), but some people intervened,” the source said.
“So if he resigns, they won’t discuss the matter on Tuesday. But if he doesn’t resign, the matter will be debated publicly and a committee will be set up.”
Sources further alleged that lawmakers had confirmed that the Assembly received ₦44 million from OSOPADEC but claimed the money was allegedly diverted without members being informed.
“They have confirmed that ₦44 million was received from OSOPADEC, which was allegedly diverted without informing the members,” another source alleged.
“According to them, the members were never informed.”
The source added that lawmakers were disappointed the Speaker did not resign on Monday as earlier expected.
“Since he did not take what they considered the honourable option of resigning yesterday, we don’t know what will happen today,” the source said. “But they had already agreed that if he had resigned yesterday, the matter would not be discussed.”
The crisis is also said to have extended to the Clerk of the House, with lawmakers reportedly seeking his redeployment.
“They have also written to the appropriate authorities requesting that the Clerk be redeployed because, after all, the Clerk is a civil servant,” the source said.
“But none of those things has been done.”
According to the source, lawmakers could also take action against the Clerk during Tuesday’s plenary.
“There will still be plenary today, unless it is called off. If they go ahead with it, they will exercise their authority.
“They could even decide that the Clerk should not come into the chamber or sit.”
SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that Oladiji considered resigning over the controversy but backed down after political intervention.
Sources had alleged that the ₦44 million was released by OSOPADEC for the benefit of the Assembly but that several lawmakers accused the Speaker of failing to carry members along in the handling of the funds.
The latest crisis comes months after Oladiji survived an impeachment attempt over separate allegations of financial misappropriation and withholding financial records from lawmakers, claims he denied, describing them as politically motivated.
Efforts to reach Speaker Oladiji for comments on the latest allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report, as he did not respond to calls or messages seeking his reaction.
The Deputy Speaker and the Clerk also could not immediately be reached for comment.
(SaharaReporters)