The 18 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, who effected the removal of the Speaker, Bamidele Oloyeloogun, and his deputy, Ogundeji Iroju, shunned the meeting summoned by state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to intervene on the leadership crisis that rocked the assembly.

This is coming as the organised labour in the state has threatened to resume the suspended strike if the state government fails to start payment of the salary arrears from the N20.9 billion received as the state’s share of Paris Club loan refund by today.

According to THISDAY report, the 18 lawmakers had fled the state and relocated to Ibadan, Oyo State, following alleged threat to their lives.

The situation came just as the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the party and its state Chairman, Mr. Ade Adetimeyin, were not involved in the invasion of the assembly by hoodlums suspected to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) after the removal of the speaker and his deputy.

During the invasion of the assembly, some lawmakers, journalists, assembly workers and security agents were assaulted.

Sequel to the removal of Oleyelogun and Ogundeji, Olamide George and Faloju Abimbola were elected and sworn in as the new Speaker and deputy Speaker respectively.

It was gathered that the 18 lawmakers shunned the meeting convened by the governor while the removed Speaker, his deputy and four others loyal to the embattled Speaker, attended the meeting.

A lawmaker, who was among those that shunned the meeting convened by Akeredolu said they relocated to Ibadan, Oyo State capital, following series of threats to their lives after the Speaker’s removal last Friday

A source within the government also confirmed the lawmakers’ absence at the meeting, adding that only the removed leaders of the assembly and four others loyal to them honoured the governor’s invitation.

“The governor had lost the control of the assembly, and the former speaker (Oleyelogun) was not in-charge, if not for the APC and Aketi, he would have been removed since, but I don’t think the removal would be reversed because some lawmakers are not returning to the assembly in 2019, so they have nothing to lose.”

Akeredolu had early this year intervened in the removal of the speaker and his deputy, which brought them back to office. The source said the governor was rattled with the development as George-led assembly is clearly the majority with two-third required by the constitution to take decision in the assembly.

Meanwhile, state APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Alex Kalejaye, debunked the allegation that the party’s chairman led thugs to invade the assembly.

Kalejaye in a statement described the allegation as untrue and a wicked blackmail.

The publicity secretary said the chairman was only at the assembly to pacify the lawmakers, but he was assaulted and told that it was not a party affair.

•Excerpted from THISDAY report

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