By ALABA OLUSOLA OKE

The spokesperson for the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Olatunji Ifabiyi, says the impeachment process against the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, is actively on course.

Ifabiyi, who spoke in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, dismissed reports that the impeachment process had been abandoned.

He emphasised that the lawmakers have not dropped plans to impeach the Speaker, despite the ongoing reconciliation efforts.

“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.

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

Reacting, Oladiji, denied any impeachment process against him, stating that the issues that led to the crisis had been resolved through the intervention of the governor and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“There is nothing like an impeachment process because the issues have been resolved. There is no impeachment.

“Mr Governor and other leaders of the party have intervened, and today we are expected to hold our parliamentary meeting,” the Speaker said in a statement.

He also explained that an earlier misunderstanding involving some visitors to the Assembly complex on Thursday had been resolved.

He explained that the three youth leaders seen at the Assembly complex were there to collect recruitment forms when some lawmakers questioned their presence at the premises.

“I came out of my office and explained to the members that they were my guests and had visited the Assembly on previous occasions.

“They did not harassed anyone, but some members insisted they should leave.

“We were able to resolve the matter, and there was nothing like an impeachment notice or impeachment process,” Oladiji said. (NAN)