Fidelis David reports that a deepening crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly has exposed cracks within the state’s political establishment, with far-reaching implications for governance, legislative independence and the ruling All Progressives Congress as the 2027 elections draw closer. For a state that only recently celebrated a relatively peaceful governorship election, Ondo has suddenly found itself confronting a different political battle, one being fought not on campaign grounds but within the hallowed chambers of the State House of Assembly. What began last week as allegations surrounding the handling of an alleged N44 million released by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) has snowballed into perhaps the gravest leadership crisis to confront the 10th Assembly since its inauguration. At the centre of the storm is the Speaker of the House, Hon Olamide Oladiji, who has come under intense scrutiny over allegations of financial impropriety, lack of transparency and poor leadership. More specifically, some lawmakers accused him of failing to carry members along in the disbursement of the funds, a development that has fuelled growing discontent within the legislature. The crisis, according to sources within the Assembly, is not limited to the office of the Speaker. It is also believed to have implications for the Deputy Speaker, Hon Ololade Gbegudu, while the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, may equally be affected through a possible redeployment as part of efforts to restore stability. One of the sources claimed that the Speaker had contemplated resigning last Monday ahead of a possible discussion of the matter during Tuesday’s plenary but was prevailed upon to shelve the decision. “The Speaker contemplated resigning but did not go ahead with it. The issue is connected to an alleged N44 million involving funds released by OSOPADEC to the Assembly. 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,” the source alleged. Another source attributed the Speaker’s decision to remain in office to the intervention of a prominent political figure in the state. “The Speaker wanted to resign today but did not eventually do so because of political intervention. We will see what happens tomorrow,” the source added. However, Oladiji has dismissed the allegations in their entirety. In a statement, he described reports of an impending resignation, leadership crisis and alleged 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 report is a total figment of the imagination of its authors and their nameless sources,” the statement read. The Speaker further maintained that lawmakers independently determine and manage their welfare and resource allocations, insisting that he only receives what is constitutionally due to his office. It added that claims he sidelined members in the handling of the alleged N44 million OSOPADEC fund were “a manufactured lie designed to create artificial disaffection where none exists.” Speaking with newsmen, Oladiji also denied claims that 21 lawmakers had demanded his resignation. “I’m not aware of that,” he said. He equally dismissed allegations linking him to an alleged assassination plot against a fellow lawmaker. “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,” he stated. But even as the Speaker sought to calm the growing controversy, the crisis assumed another dimension after the member representing Ilaje Constituency II, Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, alleged in a Facebook post that she narrowly escaped death following threats aimed at stopping what she described as her investigation into alleged bribery, forgery and corruption involving the Speaker and OSOPADEC. The lawmaker accused the Speaker of attempting to intimidate her and reaffirmed what she described as the position of two-thirds of the House, urging him to resign or “face the consequences” of his actions. She also alleged that funds meant for her constituency were being diverted, insisting she would not be intimidated. Rather than easing tension, the controversy has since widened into allegations of executive interference. Chairman of the House Committee on Information and spokesperson of the Assembly, Hon. Olatunji Fabiyi, alleged that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had been making efforts to persuade lawmakers to abandon the impeachment process against the Speaker. Fabiyi claimed that 21 of the 26 lawmakers had alrea
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