Tensions have risen within the Ondo State House of Assembly following the recent announcement of support for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s gubernatorial bid by Speaker Olamide Oladiji, as several members distance themselves from the endorsement.
In a statement signed by 13 assembly members and released on Wednesday, the lawmakers expressed their disapproval of the speaker’s declaration and passed a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
Governor Aiyedatiwa had declared his intention to contest the upcoming governorship election in November during an event in Akure on Tuesday. In his address, Speaker Oladiji pledged the support of the assembly members in securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket and winning the main election.
However, dissenting voices within the assembly refute the speaker’s assertion, emphasizing that the parliament has not officially endorsed any gubernatorial aspirant. They condemn the speaker’s statement as both embarrassing and disappointing, highlighting that such declarations should require explicit consent from all members.
The lawmakers who signed the statement include Majority Leader Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, Parliamentary Secretary Moyinolorun Taiwo Ogunwumiju, Chief Whip Oluwarotimi Fasonu, Minority Leader Olajide Oguntodu, Deputy Minority Leader Raymond Daodu, and Akinsuroju Nelson, among others.
The statement asserts that Speaker Oladiji’s unilateral declaration misrepresents the honourable house, breaches trust, and brings the assembly into disrepute. As a result, a vote of no confidence has been passed against his leadership.