Tension in Ondo as State Assembly elects new Speaker

There is tension among leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State over whose senatorial district the Speaker of the 10th Assembly in the state would emerge from.

The 10th Assembly would be proclaimed today (Saturday).

This is just as the 9th Assembly under Speaker Bamidele Oloyolegun was officially dissolved at Friday’s valedictory plenary.

There was, however, tension in the state in the early hours of Friday when a letter of resignation by the Speaker surfaced.

Security was quickly beefed at the Assembly premises to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.

The purported resignation letter of the Speaker, which was addressed to the Clerk of the House and written on the letterhead of the Assembly reads, “Please permit me to inform you that I, Rt. Hon. Oleyelogun, Bamidele David, cease to function as Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly. This follows my decision to resign from the position with effect today.

“May I use this medium to express my appreciation to all my colleagues who have been wonderful partners in progress. I must say I enjoyed their enviable and uncommon support for the period I held sway as Speaker. I will extend the same level of support and loyalty to whoever succeeds me as Speaker of this honourable House.”

Speaker Oloyelogun said the ploy was to embarrass the state and himself.

He insisted that he would remain the Speaker until his term expires.

According to him, “The letter in question is not from me. I cannot resign my appointment today that is the last day that we are closing the Assembly. Nothing warranted that.

“The letterhead paper is not my own. They just rushed it. Then the signature is not my own. Even the date on it is not how I used to write dates. I will type it and use my hand to write the date.

“Everything on the letter is not my own, and I cannot resign. I’m still working in my office. Until I step down, that is when I’ll stop doing my official job. I still remain the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly.”

However, the battle on who emerged Speaker in the 10th Assembly is between the four lawmakers that won re-election.

They are Oluwole Emmanuel Ogunmolasuyi (Owo 1 APC/ Majority Leader); Oladiji Olamide (Ondo East APC); Ololade Gbegudu (Okitipupa 11, APC); and Abayomi Akinruntan (Ilaje 1, APC).

What would work against Hon Gbegudu and Akinruntan is that they both represent constituencies in Ondo South senatorial district where the next governor is expected to come from.

Hon Oladiji had been touted to be the next Speaker as he hails from Ondo Central where the seat of the Speaker is currently zoned to but argument put against him by some leaders was that the deputy governor slot in 2024 would be zoned to the Ondo Central.

Some APC chieftains who pleaded anonymity said there has been massive support for Hon Ogunmolasuyi as the zone where he hails from, Ondo North, is where the Speaker would be zoned to.

The APC chieftains who spoke separately said they pushed for Ogunmolasuyi to avert crisis next year after Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu hands over power to somebody from Ondo South.