The Ondo State House of Assembly was plunged into further crisis on Monday, with Bamidele Oloyeloogun, who was impeached on Friday by the majority of the lawmakers, presiding over the plenary of the House as speaker.
Eighteen members of the Assembly purportedly impeached Oloyeloogun and his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji, with Olamide George as the new speaker and Abimbola Fajolu his deputy.
While George claimed that 18 members of the Assembly signed the impeachment notice, Oloyeloogun insisted that only 16 members signed the notice. He alleged that two lawmakers’ signatures were forged.
He named the lawmakers as Sunday Olajide, who represents Akure South Constituency II, and Ose Constituency’s representative, Olusola Oluyede.
Olajide said he was neither informed nor briefed on the move by his colleagues to impeach Oloyeloogun and his deputy.
Similarly, Oluyede said he was shocked to find his name and signature on the impeachment notice. “I am here to deny the rumour of the purported impeachment. I am not part of it and I cannot be part of it,” he said.
Oloyeloogun, who announced the suspension of George and 15 other lawmakers, declared his impeachment as null and void and urged the security agencies to arrest and prosecute them for forgery and perjury.
“In view of this, the House has taken the decision on it to call on the security agents to probe that purported signatures and names so that those involved in that forgery will be quickly brought to book.”
During the plenary session, which was attended by nine lawmakers, the 2018 Appropriation Bill was sent by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for amendment was read.