Suspected Thugs Invade Ondo Assembly as Speaker Impeachment Crisis Deepens

Tension gripped the Ondo State House of Assembly complex in Akure on Thursday as suspected political thugs invaded the premises amid an ongoing move by lawmakers to impeach Speaker Olamide Oladiji.

The suspected hoodlums, reportedly numbering about four, arrived at the legislative building shortly before plenary was scheduled to begin.

Witnesses said the invaders combed the hallways and moved from office to office in what staff described as a terrifying display of force designed to intimidate lawmakers and administrative workers.

Many staff members barricaded themselves inside their offices to avoid confrontation as the intruders held sway over the premises for several tense minutes, disrupting the day’s legislative schedule.

A staff member of the Assembly, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it took a coordinated intervention to restore order. “It took the combined efforts of Hon. Oguntodu, some members of the House, and the security agencies to ensure the hoodlums were displaced from the premises,” the source said. “They were moving erratically, and no one could ascertain their specific mission until the intervention occurred.”

Lawmaker Olajide Oguntodu, who represents Akure South, reportedly spotted the strange faces and confronted them. When asked about their mission, the men claimed they were from Ondo town, which is the embattled Speaker’s constituency.

A detachment of armed operatives from the SWAT was subsequently deployed to the Assembly to provide protection for lawmakers.

The invasion comes as over 21 of the 26 members of the Assembly reportedly signed an impeachment notice against Speaker Oladiji over allegations of financial impropriety.

The lawmakers accuse him of diverting N44 million meant for the reordering of the budget of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission.

The Assembly spokesperson, Olatunji Ifabiyi, insisted that the impeachment process remains active despite ongoing reconciliation efforts by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and leaders of the All Progressives Congress.

“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,” Ifabiyi said. “Although Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been speaking with some of us, that does not stop the impeachment process. There is no going back.”

One lawmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the suspected thugs were sent to frustrate the impeachment bid. “He sent thugs to the Assembly to attack us but he was disappointed. We are not holding plenary again, but we will still meet to impeach him,” the lawmaker said.

However, Speaker Oladiji denied any impeachment process against him, insisting that the issues had been resolved following the governor’s intervention.

“There is nothing like an impeachment process because the issues have been resolved. There is no impeachment,” Oladiji stated. “Mr Governor and other leaders of the party have intervened, and today we are expected to hold our parliamentary meeting.”

On the invasion, the Speaker dismissed claims that he sponsored thugs, explaining that the men were youth leaders from his constituency whom he had invited to collect recruitment forms.

He said some lawmakers questioned their presence, but he came out of his office to pacify the members and resolve the matter.