Ondo Speaker given Sunday deadline to resign or face impeachment

A fresh political crisis has erupted in the Ondo State House of Assembly after a majority of lawmakers reportedly gave Speaker Olamide Oladiji until Sunday to resign or face impeachment over allegations of financial misconduct linked to the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) budget.

The latest development marks a significant escalation in the leadership dispute within the Assembly, with 21 of the 26 lawmakers said to have endorsed an impeachment notice against the Speaker, signalling that he may have lost the confidence of a substantial majority of members.

The lawmakers accuse Oladiji of improperly handling funds connected to the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget and authorising a legislative resolution without the knowledge or approval of members.

The controversy follows earlier allegations that the Speaker and his deputy were involved in the diversion of ₦44 million earmarked for the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget. While the allegations have fuelled calls for his removal, Oladiji has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Fabiyi, confirmed that lawmakers had resolved that the Speaker should vacate office, saying the decision was reached after members lost confidence in his leadership.

According to Fabiyi, the lawmakers deliberately informed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of their decision before commencing impeachment proceedings to dispel speculation that the governor or external political interests were behind the move.

“We have resolved that Mr Speaker should go. But in the wisdom of the leadership of the House, we felt we should meet with Mr Governor,” Fabiyi said.

He explained that the Assembly leadership wanted the governor to understand that the crisis stemmed from internal legislative concerns rather than political interference.

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“The one we did before, they were castigating us, saying somebody was sponsoring us. So, to avoid that, the leadership of the House went to Mr Governor to tell him that this one is not about him.”

Fabiyi disclosed that 21 lawmakers had already signed the impeachment notice, insisting that the Speaker no longer enjoys the support of the majority of Assembly members.

He added that the lawmakers decided to give Oladiji an opportunity to resign voluntarily before taking the matter to the floor of the House.

“We are giving him till Sunday. If he fails to resign, we will remove him,” he declared.

At the heart of the dispute is the reordering of the OSOPADEC budget. The lawmakers alleged that a resolution concerning the budget was prepared and presented in the name of members without their consent.

Fabiyi claimed lawmakers neither met to approve the resolution nor authorised anyone to present it as the collective position of the Assembly. According to him, the action amounted to a serious breach of legislative procedure and was one of the major reasons members initiated the impeachment process.

He also accused the Speaker of failing to carry lawmakers along on decisions affecting the House and the management of legislative affairs.

An anonymous lawmaker similarly alleged that adjustments made to the OSOPADEC budget were carried out without the approval of most Assembly members.

The source claimed impeachment proceedings had begun about three weeks ago but were delayed after Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa intervened and requested more time to resolve the crisis.

The lawmaker maintained that members remain determined to remove the Speaker if he refuses to resign before the deadline.

Despite mounting pressure, Speaker Olamide Oladiji has rejected all allegations against him.

He denied any involvement in financial misconduct and dismissed reports suggesting that a valid impeachment process was already underway.

The Speaker insisted he was unaware of any impeachment notice and described the accusations as unfounded.

Supporters of the Speaker have also argued that all actions taken regarding the Assembly’s finances and legislative resolutions complied with established procedures.

Under Section 92(2)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), a Speaker of a State House of Assembly can only be removed through a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members of the House.

With 21 lawmakers reportedly backing the impeachment in the 26-member Ondo State House of Assembly, the constitutional threshold appears to have been met if the reported signatures are verified and all procedural requirements are fulfilled.

Political observers believe the Assembly’s next plenary session could determine whether the Speaker resigns voluntarily or faces a formal impeachment vote.

The unfolding crisis is expected to shape political developments in Ondo State, as stakeholders watch to see whether last-minute interventions can prevent another leadership shake-up in the Assembly.

Ondo Speaker given Sunday deadline to resign or face impeachment

Atiku’s lobbying firm sends Tinubu’s forfeiture records to US Congress

A Washington-based lobbying firm retained by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has disclosed that it has begun distributing historical United States Department of Justice (DOJ) records relating to President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case to officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, members of the US Congress, and senior congressional staff.

The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., said the initiative forms part of a 12-month lobbying agreement reportedly worth $1.2 million, signed with Atiku in March 2026. According to the firm, its assignment includes promoting Atiku’s policy positions on governance, democracy and Nigeria–United States relations, while engaging key policymakers in Washington.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the lobbying firm said it had held meetings with officials in the Trump administration, members of Congress and senior congressional aides before distributing more than 60 pages of DOJ documents, court filings and supporting records relating to Tinubu’s decades-old civil forfeiture proceedings.

According to the firm, many US policymakers were previously unfamiliar with the historical case, prompting it to circulate the documents for what it described as informational and oversight purposes.

Among the materials distributed is a document titled “Background and Chronology of the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice Heroin-Proceeds Forfeiture Case and the 2023 FOIA Litigation Concerning Alleged Heroin Trafficking from Nigeria to the United States Involving Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

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The records relate to a 1993 civil forfeiture action filed by the US Department of Justice following an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking network that operated between Nigeria and the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Court filings referenced by the lobbying firm identify the matter as United States v. Funds in Account No. 263226700 et al., heard before the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The government alleged that funds in certain bank accounts were connected to narcotics trafficking and money laundering activities.

The documents mention President Tinubu alongside Adegboyega Mueez Akande and Abiodun Agbele, stating that investigators examined financial transactions carried out between 1988 and 1991.

According to the chronology, US investigators alleged that proceeds from a suspected narcotics trafficking organisation were deposited into bank accounts associated with Tinubu.

The matter, however, ended in a civil settlement, with approximately $460,000 forfeited to the US government.

Importantly, the proceedings were civil—not criminal—and President Tinubu was never convicted of any criminal offence in the United States in relation to the forfeiture case.

The lobbying firm also referenced the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation initiated in 2023 by American journalist Aaron Greenspan, who sought access to records held by several US federal agencies concerning the historical investigation.

According to the chronology, a US District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled in 2025 that some federal agencies could not rely on a blanket refusal to confirm or deny the existence of responsive records and ordered them to process portions of the FOIA requests in accordance with US law. The litigation remains ongoing.

The 1993 forfeiture case also featured prominently during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election litigation.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi argued before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that the forfeiture proceedings raised constitutional questions about Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the election.

However, the PEPC dismissed the claims, ruling that the petitioners failed to establish that Tinubu had been convicted of any criminal offence in the United States. The court further held that the forfeiture proceeding was civil in nature and that there was insufficient evidence to prove Tinubu made false declarations to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The decision was subsequently upheld through the appellate process.

The latest lobbying effort comes as political consultations ahead of the 2027 general election continue to intensify, with both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures expanding their domestic and international engagements.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency has not issued an official response to the lobbying firm’s latest disclosure.

Political analysts say the development highlights the growing use of international lobbying by Nigerian political actors. However, they note that circulating historical court documents to US officials does not amount to a new criminal investigation, indictment or judicial ruling against President Tinubu.

Atiku’s lobbying firm sends Tinubu’s forfeiture records to US Congress

2027: North-Central group backs Tinubu for second term, says re-election ‘done deal’

A political advocacy group, the North Central Agenda (NCA), has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office ahead of the 2027 presidential election, declaring that his re-election in the North-Central geopolitical zone is already a “done deal” based on what it described as the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, security, education and economic development.

The endorsement was announced during a one-day conference on the development of the North-Central under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, attended by delegates from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alongside government officials, political stakeholders and supporters of the administration.

Speaking at the event in Abuja, the Convener of the North Central Agenda, Dr. Ene Lilian Ogbole, said the Tinubu administration has reversed years of neglect by implementing projects and policies aimed at transforming the region.

According to her, before President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the North-Central was grappling with deteriorating infrastructure, worsening insecurity and declining economic opportunities. She, however, said the administration has demonstrated the political will to address those challenges through targeted investments and reforms.

Ogbole highlighted several ongoing federal infrastructure projects across the region, including the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Kogi–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri Highway, the Suleja–Minna Dual Carriageway, the Lokoja–Okene Dualisation Project, and the Makurdi–Aliade–Otukpo Road.

She said the projects are expected to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce transportation costs and stimulate economic activities across the North-Central and other parts of the country.

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The NCA convener also commended the Federal Government’s interventions in the education sector, particularly increased funding through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the implementation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial support for eligible students in tertiary institutions.

She further praised the administration’s security efforts, saying intensified military operations against banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities have enabled many farmers to return to their farmlands while businesses gradually resume operations in previously affected communities.

Describing the North-Central as a strategic political bloc, Ogbole said the equitable spread of federal projects across the region has changed public perception of the Tinubu administration.

She pledged that the organisation would embark on extensive mobilisation campaigns across the six North-Central states and the FCT ahead of the 2027 elections.

“For us as the mouthpiece of the North Central people, this re-election is a done deal as we will stop at nothing within the confines of the law to ensure that his victory is secured,” she said.

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the conference, his Senior Assistant (Technical), Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Benard, said President Tinubu is laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term economic growth through bold reforms and strategic infrastructure investments.

He acknowledged that some of the administration’s economic policies may take time to produce visible results but argued that they are necessary for sustainable national development.

Benard described the NELFUND Student Loan Scheme as one of the government’s landmark achievements, noting that it has expanded access to higher education for many Nigerian students.

He also highlighted the economic importance of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, explaining that the project will include 32 dams to support irrigation, agriculture, water supply and industrial development.

According to him, such infrastructure projects are designed not only to improve transportation but also to unlock long-term economic opportunities and create jobs.

In his goodwill message, APC chieftain from Benue State, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, commended President Tinubu for strengthening security in the state, supporting development projects and working closely with Governor Hyacinth Alia.

He expressed confidence that the President would enjoy overwhelming support in Benue State during the 2027 election.

Meanwhile, supporters of President Tinubu dismissed renewed criticism of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who recently argued that the issue would remain relevant in the next presidential election.

Responding to the comments, the Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr. Umar Tanko Yakasai, said Nigerians had already settled the issue during the 2023 general election by electing Tinubu as President.

Yakasai maintained that the administration has demonstrated inclusiveness through appointments across different geopolitical zones, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.

He cited appointments involving North-Central indigenes and other regions as evidence of balanced representation, dismissing claims that the administration has concentrated key positions in any particular part of the country.

The endorsement comes amid increasing political consultations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with various political groups and stakeholders beginning to declare their positions well before party primaries.

Although President Tinubu has not formally declared his intention to seek re-election, endorsements from support groups have continued to gather momentum as political activities gradually intensify across the country.

Political analysts, however, note that while endorsements by advocacy groups may influence public discourse, the outcome of the 2027 presidential election will ultimately depend on party primaries, campaign issues, voter participation and the electorate’s assessment of the administration’s performance.

2027: North-Central group backs Tinubu for second term, says re-election ‘done deal’