I’ve not resigned, still remain Ondo Assembly speaker: Oleyelogun

Bamidele Oleyelogun, the outgoing Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, has denied his resignation from the seat.

Mr Oleyelogun made the denial in a statement he personally signed on Friday and issued to journalists in Akure, the capital of Ondo.

“This is to notify the general public that, I, (Rt) Hon Oleyelogun Bamidele David did not resign my position as the Speaker of the House,” he said in the statement obtained by Peoples Gazette.

The development came shortly after a resignation letter, purportedly from the speaker, went viral in the early hours of Friday, as the Assembly plans to sit and hold the last plenary session for the 9th Assembly.

The Gazette learnt that the purported resignation letter threw the Assembly into commotion as heavily armed policemen took over the parliament.

Mr Oleyelogun said that the letter was the “handiwork of the fifth Columnists” who want to throw the House of Assembly into anarchy.

He added that the letter did not emanate from him, stressing that it was “forged.”

“The purported resignation is no doubt the figment of the imagination of the peddlers of such heinous act as l did not contemplate or discussed such move with any member of the Assembly or family members.

“Let me tell members of the public that the purported letter of resignation did not emanate from me as it was forged by purveyors of such letter,” he said in the statement.

The statement added, “The Clerk of the House, Mr Benjamin Jaiyeola (ESQ) has informed me that he did not receive any letter of resignation which has given credence to the fact that the faceless writer is not informed of the process through which such weighty exercise can take.

“I have not informed the Executive Arm of Government of such resignation and I urge my Honourable Colleagues, Staffers of the House of Assembly, and Members of my Constituency to disregard the letter in its entirety and also urge the Security Agencies to investigate this false and malicious letter that has emanated from the enemies who are working against the existing peace in the State.”

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo, Taiwo Jesubiyi, said the police was ready to ensure adequate security was beefed up within the premises of the parliament.

Mr Jesubiyi, who met with the embattled speaker, also asked the lawmakers to always intimate the security agencies about development in the Assembly.

“Our primary aim is to provide security and to protect lives. I also assure the Speaker that we would do our best to secure the safety of the State and will work harmoniously to achieve our objectives,” he said.