Ondo state House of Assembly impeaches speaker for N15m fraud

The Ondo State House of Assembly was thrown into confusion as 13 of the 26 members of the House suspended the Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, and her deputy, Fatai Olotu, on Friday night based on allegations of fraud.

The members had trailed the assembly’s paymaster, Makanjuola Adesina, from a commercial bank in Akure, where he had gone to withdraw N15million on behalf of the house.

The members were said to have accosted him as he alighted his car at the premises of the Assembly and accused him of withdrawing the sum without parliamentary approval.

Mr. Adesina told the lawmakers that he had the approval of the Speaker to withdraw the said amount from the bank through a check duly signed by the Director of Accounts.

The lawmakers were said to have taken photographs of him as he carried the bag containing the N15 million.

But Ms. Akindele has declared that she remains the Speaker of the House, declaring her purported removal as a nullity.