JUST IN: OND0 ASSEMBLY SPEAKER FACES FRESH PRESSURE AS RESIGNATION CLAIMS EMERGE OVER ALLEGED ₦44 MILLION OSOPADEC FUND CONTROVERSY

OND0 ASSEMBLY SPEAKER FACES FRESH PRESSURE AS RESIGNATION CLAIMS EMERGE OVER ALLEGED ₦44 MILLION OSOPADEC FUND CONTROVERSY


The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, is reportedly facing renewed pressure following allegations surrounding the handling of about ₦44 million allegedly released by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to the State Assembly.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, sources within the Assembly claimed the Speaker considered resigning on Monday ahead of an anticipated move by some lawmakers over the controversy. However, the report stated that he did not proceed with the resignation following the intervention of a political figure.

The allegations, which have not been independently verified by Opima RealNews, claim that the funds were intended for the entire House of Assembly but that some lawmakers were dissatisfied with how they were managed. The report further alleged that the Deputy Speaker, Ololade Gbegudu, and the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, may also be affected as the situation unfolds, with claims that the Clerk could be redeployed.

One source quoted by SaharaReporters alleged that the controversy has heightened internal tensions among lawmakers, while another claimed political intervention prevented the Speaker from stepping down.

As of the time of filing this report, Speaker Oladiji had not publicly responded to the allegations. SaharaReporters reported that attempts to contact him by telephone and text message were unsuccessful.

The latest claims come months after the Speaker survived an impeachment attempt in November 2025, when some lawmakers accused him of financial misappropriation and withholding financial records. At the time, Oladiji denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and maintaining that the dissenting lawmakers were pursuing personal interests.

The development also comes amid increased public scrutiny of OSOPADEC's financial activities. Earlier this month, the Ondo State Auditor-General reportedly queried seven OSOPADEC contracts valued at about ₦6.7 billion over the commission's failure to provide procurement and contract documents during the 2025 audit process.

In February, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa redeployed the commission's Secretary, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, to the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) following allegations involving the diversion of ₦463 million from OSOPADEC's capital account. She denied any wrongdoing, stating that the funds were used for approved projects executed through direct labour in line with established procedures.

As of the time of publication, neither the Ondo State House of Assembly nor OSOPADEC had issued an official statement regarding the latest allegations. The claims remain allegations, and no court has found any of the individuals mentioned guilty of wrongdoing.

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