A fresh crisis has engulfed the Ondo State House of Assembly following allegations surrounding the management of about N44 million reportedly released by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to the legislature.

This is just as a member representing Ilaje constituency II, Honourable Olawumi Fayemi-Obayelu, said she narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, linking the attack to her investigation into alleged bribery, forgery and corruption involving the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji and the management of the OSOPADEC funds.

The latest controversy, which came barely months after the Speaker survived an impeachment attempt, has further heightened tension within the 26-member Assembly

No fewer than 21 out of the 26 lawmakers were said to have allegedly signed an impeachment notice against the Speaker over alleged misconduct in the handling of about N44m reportedly released by OSOPADEC.

Fayemi-Obayelu, in a statement issued on Tuesday, alleged that her probe into the alleged diversion and mismanagement of OSOPADEC funds meant for the development of riverine communities in Ilaje Local Government Area had attracted threats to her life.

She claimed she narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in the early hours of Tuesday and accused the Speaker of attempting to intimidate and silence her.

The lawmaker also called on Oladiji to resign or face impeachment, insisting that two-thirds of the members of the House had resolved that he should vacate office.

According to her, “I have received numerous calls threatening me to halt my findings from the ongoing investigation linking bribery, forgery and corruption between the Speaker of the House of Assembly and OSOPADEC.

“Just now, I narrowly escaped death. This is my special message to you, Rt. Hon. Oladiji. You want to silence me because you feel I am the pillar behind the issues confronting you within the House of Assembly.

“You are first among equals, and we were both elected to serve our constituents. How dare you? A woman has exposed your numerous acts of corruption and abuse of power. You cannot even play a fair game.”

However, Oladiji, while speaking with newsmen, described all the allegations as false, malicious and politically motivated, saying he had no involvement in the alleged N44m scandal and challenged Fayemi-Obayelu to provide evidence to support her claims.

He also denied knowledge of any impeachment move against him and said, ‘The report is a total figment of the imagination of its authors and their nameless, cowardly sources.

“It is false, completely lacks merit and is sponsored by desperate political detractors aimed at destabilising the legislative arm and heating up the polity,” he said.

He added that those behind the allegations had failed to provide any credible evidence.

“Given that the sponsors of this rumour failed to present valid evidence, the premise of this fake news is not only absurd but also an insult to the intelligence of the reading public,” he stated.

Reacting to the allegation of an assassination plot, Oladiji said the matter should be left for security agencies to investigate, adding that the allegation she made against me regarding an assassination attempt is one for law enforcement agencies to investigate independently.

“I am a law-abiding citizen. I have been Speaker of the House for the past three years, and no such allegation has ever been made against me. Let her provide evidence to substantiate her claims,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)