The Ondo State House of Assembly says it remains committed to impeaching its Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, despite claims that the political crisis surrounding the legislature has been resolved.
The Assembly’s spokesperson, Olatunji Ifabiyi, dismissed reports that lawmakers had suspended the impeachment process, describing such reports as misinformation.
Ifabiyi, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by telephone on Thursday, said the lawmakers remained determined to remove Oladiji from office despite efforts by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to resolve the dispute.
“We have been hearing reports that we have stopped the process; that is not correct; it is misinformation. We are still on it. He cannot continue as our Speaker.
“Although Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been speaking with some of us, that does not stop the impeachment process. There is no going back,” he said.
Oladiji, however, rejected the claim that an impeachment process had been initiated against him, saying the disagreement among lawmakers had been settled following the intervention of the governor and APC leaders.
“There is nothing like an impeachment process because the issues have been resolved. There is no impeachment.
“Mr Governor and other leaders of the party have intervened, and today we are expected to hold our parliamentary meeting,” the Speaker said in a statement.
Oladiji also addressed an earlier incident involving three youth leaders who were at the Assembly complex on Thursday.
He said the youths had visited the Assembly to collect recruitment forms and that their presence had prompted questions from some lawmakers.
“I came out of my office and explained to the members that they were my guests and had visited the Assembly on previous occasions,” Oladiji said.
According to the Speaker, the visitors did not harass anyone, although some lawmakers insisted that they should leave the premises.
He said the disagreement was subsequently resolved, maintaining that no impeachment notice had been served on him and that no impeachment proceedings had been initiated.
The conflicting accounts leave the status of the reported impeachment move uncertain, with Ifabiyi insisting that lawmakers are pressing ahead and Oladiji maintaining that the matter has been resolved.
