Crisis Rocks Oyo Assembly

Some aggrieved members of the Oyo State House of Assembly have alleged financial neglect and authoritarian leadership by a group of newly elected lawmakers.

The new lawmakers have, therefore, revolted against the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin.
Sources said the aggrieved lawmakers, mostly newcomers, have petitioned Governor Seyi Makinde, seeking his intervention in the crisis.

They alleged that the House leadership had withheld funds meant for their constituency projects and personal allowances, sparking tensions within the legislative chamber.

The petitioners were also rejecting a proposed purchase of 2021 official cars for lawmakers, insisting on the latest 2024 models.

This demand, the source said, had been seen as a bold move, challenging the traditional practices of the House.

The source revealed that this was not the first time such a crisis has rocked the Oyo State House of Assembly.
He said similar disputes in the past have led to the removal of committee chairmen and members, sparking fears among lawmakers about the repercussions of their political careers.

The situation had created a political rift within the Assembly, with some lawmakers supporting the Speaker and others backing the aggrieved lawmakers.

The crisis was poised to significantly shift the political landscape of the Oyo State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, a sociopolitical group, Vanguard for the Defence of Rule of Law (VDRL), has cautioned the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin, from suspending 11 members of the state legislature.

It was noted that Ogundoyin made underground moves to oppose lawmakers, 11 of them, who are not disposed to his leadership.

The group’s spokesperson, Mr Ogunmodede Ogunbamiwo, said the group decried the lawmakers’ planned suspension, which was reported in various online news outlets in the state capital.