The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, has attributed the recent impeachment attempt against him to grievances some lawmakers have with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Oladiji, describing the plot as a misplaced priority, stressed that the Assembly cannot be distracted from its constitutional duties, particularly the amendment and passage of the reordered 2025 Appropriation Act.

His remarks followed a vote of confidence from 14 lawmakers, who reaffirmed their support for his leadership. This comes days after 12 of the 26 lawmakers had passed a vote of no confidence, accusing him of gross misconduct and misappropriation of Assembly funds.

The crisis escalated after a walkout by lawmakers protesting the governor’s N531 billion supplementary budget, alleging that Oladiji was rushing its passage despite the 2025 budget’s poor performance and less than two months remaining in the fiscal year.

Flanked by the Deputy Speaker Olalade Gbegudu, Finance Committee Chairman Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, and Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, Oladiji emphasised that ignoring the amendment process would cripple the state government. He insisted the Assembly must act responsibly and carry out its legislative duties without politicising the budget process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We have the opinion that if at all we have a request, or if at all we have any demand from His Excellency or the executive, we should not tie it with our legislative assignments, which is the reordering or what we call the supplementary budgets,” he said.