14 out of 26 lawmakers save Ondo Speaker from impeachment

14 out of the 26 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly on Friday passed a vote of confidence in the Assembly Speaker, Chief Olamide Oladiji.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 12 aggrieved lawmakers of the assembly, on Thursday, passed a vote of no confidence in Oladiji, alleging the misappropriation of N50 million.

The vote of confidence was contained in a letter made available to newsmen in Akure by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Ololade Gbegudu, after a parliamentary meeting.

The letter asked people of the state to discountenance the call for the removal of the speaker for the purported gross misconduct.

According to it, the speaker did not, at any time, divert N50 million as alleged by the aggrieved 12 lawmakers.

“The 12 lawmakers are perpetual absentees at parliamentary meetings, plenary sittings and other activities of the House because they reside more outside the country.

“Allegations against the speaker are figments of imagination that are bereft of facts.

“The assembly assures the people of the state of continued transparency to bring more dividends of democracy to people in accordance with our EASE government,” the letter stated.

Similarly, the Assembly’s Majority Leader, Chief Olatunji Oshati, says the assembly is in one accord.

Oshati, in a statement on Friday in Akure, denied knowledge of any impeachment against the speaker.

According to him, there was never such a topic of discussion at either the plenary sittings or any of the House parliamentary meetings.

He assured the people of the assembly’s commitment to people-centred legislation, which he said must ensure the general interest of the people.

“Democracy will be regarded as healthy when we sometimes disagree to agree. If there is any disagreement, such should be reasonable.

“The assembly will use conflict resolution machinery to resolve whatever might have caused any disagreement.

“The media should always balance their stories before dissemination in order not to cause unnecessary tension, as the ethics of their profession dictates,” the majority leader said. (NAN)

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