How N36m divided Ondo lawmakers over Gov. Akeredolu’s re-ordered budget [EXCLUSIVE]

There seems to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the Ondo State
House of Assembly any time soon.

Last Friday, 18 out of 26 members of the house who purportedly signed
the impeachment notice of the two principal officers of the state's
hallowed chamber, sacked the erstwhile speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun
and his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji, over allegations of financial
misconduct and incompetency.

Meanwhile, two out of the 18 lawmakers involved in the impeachment
saga have distanced themselves from the act, alleging that their
signatures were forged, while the group led by Olamide George, the new
speaker, insisted that the duo of Sunday Olajide and Oluyede actively
took part in the entire process of the impeachment.

However, it was reliably gathered that the amendment bill for the
re-ordering of the 2018 budget sent to the house by the state
governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was the beginning of the current
crisis rocking the house.

A source among the legislators told us that it is a "normal ritual"
that when financial or appropriation bills are sent to the state
legislature for approval, financial tips for members must accompany
such, particularly when express approval is needed.

The source, who preferred anonymity, further revealed that when the
issue of the re-ordered budget came up, N36 million was requested
which the Governor turned down.

"He (governor) requested speedy passage of the re-ordered budget. But
it's a normal procedure to back it up with our benefits as well.

"Do you know that under this administration, we virtually gained
nothing, nothing whatsoever.

"Most of us are not coming back next year because some of us in the
same ruling APC were not given the return ticket.

"When we requested that Aketi should give N36 million which 26 of us
agreed to, he (the governor) refused.

"It was subsequently agreed to, that the bill would be delayed, but to
our surprise, those who were given return tickets were threatened by
the Governor and they backed out from the initial plan including
Oleyelogun and Iroju.

"This infuriated us that Oleyelogun and Iroju must be impeached which
we did last week Friday for not standing their ground and staying with
their colleagues."

Also when DAILY POST made further inquiry, another source within the
Governor's circle confirmed that N36 million was demanded by the
lawmakers which the Governor did not succumbed to.

"Yes, it's true they demanded N36 million when the amendment bill was
sent to the house.

"What I really don't understand was how the Governor was approached as
par their demand and how it degenerated to this. But, what I'm certain
of is that they did asked for the money before giving their nod for
re-ordering the budget."

On Thursday, the Majority Leader of the house, Olugbenga Araoyinbo,
who is in the camp of Olamide George, had raised an alarm that the
bill for the re-ordering of the budget is unconstitutional.

Araoyinbo posited that the re-ordered budget, which was designed to
allegedly cover up some shady dealings of Gov Akeredolu, was one of
the basis for impeaching the erstwhile Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun
and his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji.

The statement issued on Thursday partly reads, "It has come to our
attention that the impeached speaker of the Ondo State House of
Assembly will be passing what is unconstitutionally known as a
Re-Ordered Budget today.

"We wish to state that the request for the passage of this Bill is one
of the major reasons why we chose to remove and suspend the former
leadership of the House on Friday, 9th November, 2018.

"Rt Hon Oleyeloogun had informed us that the Governor was desirous of
passing the bill into law as quickly as possible under a procedure
unknown to our Standing Rules, indeed, unknown to any known Law of our
State or Nigeria.

"By this Bill, the Government seeks to cover the many shady and
unappropriated approvals and spendings which are in excess of what is
authorized by the Budget," the statement read.

Also on Thursday, nine out of the 26 members of the house loyal to the
Governor approved the bill for the re-ordered budget which was to the
tune of over N14 billion.