Fresh crisis has erupted in the Ondo State House of Assembly following explosive allegations by the member representing Ilaje Constituency II, Hon. Dr. Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, against the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji.
In a strongly worded public statement on Tuesday, Fayemi-Obayelu alleged that she had been subjected to threats over what she described as her investigation into alleged bribery, forgery and corruption involving the Speaker and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
The lawmaker further claimed that she narrowly escaped an attempt on her life, declaring that the incident would not deter her from pursuing the matter.
“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,” she alleged.
Addressing the Speaker directly, Fayemi-Obayelu accused him of attempting to silence her because of internal disagreements within the Assembly. She described the Speaker as “first among equals,” insisting that both of them were elected to serve their respective constituencies and that no office holder was above accountability.
The Ilaje lawmaker also revisited the political crisis that rocked the Ondo Assembly during an earlier impeachment saga, saying she remained steadfast against what she termed injustice and would not bow to intimidation.
According to her, the people of Ilaje would no longer tolerate alleged diversion of resources meant for oil producing communities through OSOPADEC.
She further accused the leadership of the Assembly of abuse of power and fraudulent practices, maintaining that she had remained silent in the past out of respect for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa but had now resolved to speak out.
“I will not be intimidated by you or your fellow fraudsters,” she declared.
In what appears to deepen the leadership crisis within the Assembly, Fayemi-Obayelu reaffirmed what she described as the position of two thirds of the lawmakers, calling on Speaker Oladiji to resign immediately or “face the consequences” of his actions.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Speaker Olamide Oladiji nor the Ondo State House of Assembly had issued an official response to the allegations. Similarly, no independent evidence has yet been made public to substantiate the claims contained in the lawmaker’s statement.
Hon. Fayemi-Obayelu, elected on the platform of the APC, has represented Ilaje Constituency II in the Ondo State House of Assembly since 2023.
