Confusion over alleged resignation of Ondo Assembly Speaker

New Assembly For Inauguration Today

There was tension in Ondo State yesterday following the rumour that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, had resigned ahead of the valedictory session of the Assembly.

The resignation letter of the Speaker, which was addressed to the Clerk of the House and written on the letterhead of the Assembly, had gone viral on social media platforms.

In the purported letter, the three-term lawmaker lauded his colleagues for the support he had received as Speaker since 2016 and vowed to give an unflinching support to his successor.

The development led to the mobilisation of security operatives to the Assembly Complex, with stern-looking agents mounting the gates as well as strategic parts of the complex.

The purported letter partly read: “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 honorable House.”

When contacted, Oloyelogun revealed that the letter did not emanate from him, describing it as the handiwork of fifth columnists.

He also added that it was a ploy to embarrass the state and himself.

While dismissing insinuations that there were crises in the Assembly, he emphasised that he would still remain the Speaker until his term expires.

He said: “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. My own 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.

“I appeal to the security agents to speed into action so that they can get the perpetrators. They want to embarrass the state and myself.”

Meanwhile, the valedictory session of the Assembly was held yesterday and the inauguration of the 10th Assembly would take place today as the new lawmakers take their oath of office.

With everything set for the inauguration, only four lawmakers who were part of the ninth Assembly would be returning to the House.

Also, the four lawmakers would be ranking members of the Assembly, while the remaining 22 lawmakers would be the “greenhorns.”

Going by the conventional power-sharing formula among the three senatorial districts in the state, the new Speaker ought to emerge from the Central Senatorial District of the state.

This calculation is based on the fact that the state governor hails from the North Senatorial District while his deputy comes from the Southern Senatorial District.