Update: Ogun speaker impeached for gross financial misconduct, say lawmakers

A lawmaker representing Obafemi-Owode state constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Mr Soneye Kayode, has clarified that the Speaker of the House, Mr Olakunle Oluomo, was impeached for gross financial misconduct.

Oluomo, who is from Ifo State Constituency, was removed as speaker by the lawmakers in a unanimous and overwhelming votes over alleged gross misconduct, Persecondnews reports.

In his place, Mr. Oludaisi Elemide, from Odeda State Constituency, has been elected the new speaker. Briefing journalists after the uproar at the Tuesday plenary session, Kayode accused Oluomo of embezzling monies meant for state lawmakers.

Kayode said members did not want to elect Oluomo as speaker, but the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) felt that he should become speaker because of his experience.

He said: “The situation is that Oluomo will go everywhere; he will come to us as members and tell us that the governor has not approved any money and that we should manage things.

“We kept managing. We later found out that the governor had been giving us money. He takes a memo to the governor and gets money, but syphoned our money.”

Persecondnews recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 11 charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and stealing against Oluomo, among three others.

The charge was filed by the EFFC’s Lagos Head of Legal Monitoring Unit, Rotimi Oyedepo, at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on September 1, 2022.

Count one read: “That you, Oluomo Taiwo, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Taiwo, and Adeyanju Amoke (now at large) sometimes in 2019 in Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired amongst yourselves to use the total sum of N2,475 billion, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity, to wit: stealing from the treasury of the Ogun State House of Assembly, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (a), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.

“The Commission says it intends to call at least 10 witnesses to testify and tender documents and exhibits.