The crisis rocking the Ondo State House of Assembly took another dramatic turn on Friday as the member representing Ilaje Constituency II, Hon. (Dr.) Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, launched a fresh attack on Speaker Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, accusing him of forgery, theft, poor leadership and refusing to relinquish office despite allegedly losing the confidence of the majority of lawmakers.
In a strongly worded statement circulated on social media, Fayemi-Obayelu, who addressed the Speaker by his nickname, “Landmark,” alleged that 24 out of the 26 members of the Assembly had resolved to remove him from office, insisting that the impeachment process remained on course.
The lawmaker said members deliberately refrained from speaking publicly for some days out of respect for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, whom she claimed had requested additional time to resolve the impasse.
According to her, the Speaker’s continued stay in office has tested the patience of lawmakers, maintaining that he was elected Speaker by fellow legislators and not by his constituents.
“We were all voted into office just like you. The members elected you as Speaker, not your constituents. Let us see who will preside over the 10th Assembly for the remaining tenure,” she declared, warning that legal action would be pursued if he continued to occupy the office.
Fayemi-Obayelu further alleged that the Speaker forged a resolution of the House and unlawfully diverted “O’Datiwa Meters” reportedly meant for members of the Assembly. She described him as “a greedy little liar” and “a shameless hypocrite,” insisting that his leadership had failed and that he no longer enjoyed the confidence of the House.
She maintained that the signatures of lawmakers seeking the Speaker’s removal remained intact and vowed that the Assembly would remove what she described as his “stained leadership” once the two week period allegedly requested by Governor Aiyedatiwa elapsed.
The lawmaker also dismissed suggestions that her position was driven by personal political ambition, stating that she had voluntarily decided not to seek a second term and had instead thrown her support behind a successor agreed upon with the Governor.
The latest outburst comes amid the lingering leadership crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly following allegations of financial misconduct linked to the handling of ₦44 million from the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC). Fayemi-Obayelu had earlier accused the Speaker of corruption, forgery and abuse of office, while also alleging threats to her life over her insistence on accountability.
Reports indicate that more than 20 lawmakers had earlier endorsed a move to remove the Speaker, although the exact number of members supporting the action has remained a subject of conflicting claims.
Speaker Oladiji has consistently denied all allegations against him, describing claims of corruption, forgery, financial misconduct and an impeachment plot as false, malicious and politically motivated. He has challenged his accusers to produce credible evidence to substantiate their allegations and insisted that there is no leadership crisis in the Assembly.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Speaker’s office nor the Ondo State Government had issued any fresh official response to Fayemi-Obayelu’s latest statement. However, political observers say the coming days may prove decisive as tensions continue to mount within the state’s legislature.
