The Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Gbenga Oyekola, has accused the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja and a former Oyo State first lady, Florence Ajimobi of plotting impeachment of Governor Seyi Makinde.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Oyekola, representing Atiba State Constituency at the state assembly, alleged that there were plans to sow division within the assembly.

He stated that elements of disunity were working to create discord between the Oyo State House of Assembly and Mr Makinde.

“I, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola, Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly and member Representing Atiba State Constituency, hereby issue this public statement following the meeting held today by members of the Oyo State House of Assembly at the Governor’s House,” Mr Oyekola said following deliberations by lawmakers at the Governor’s House on Monday.

“Arising from the said meeting, it was discovered that some agents of disunity are working to set the Oyo State House of Assembly against the governor and the Government of Oyo State,” Mr Oyekola said.

The lawmaker claimed that the Speaker of the state assembly, Debo Ogundoyin, said during the deliberation that the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Ladoja, invited him, as well as offered to secure a House of Representative ticket for him under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“According to the Speaker, the Olubadan advised him and offered to secure the House of Representatives ticket for him under the APC, along with the necessary funds to prosecute the election. The Speaker stated that he declined the offer,” Mr Oyekola said.

The lawmaker also claimed that a former First Lady of Oyo State, Florence Ajimobi, similarly contacted the speaker for the same offer.

“The Speaker further disclosed that he was again invited by the former First Lady of Oyo State, Chief Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, on the same subject matter. He said he was offered money but declined and did not collect anything from them,” the lawmaker said.

Reaffirming his loyalty to the Makinde-led administration, the chief whip said he was never invited, consulted nor was at any point a part of such meetings potentially seeking to disrupt the peace in the state.

“I, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola, hereby completely disassociate myself from any arrangement or activity that has the potential to disrupt the peace of Oyo State. I was never invited, never consulted, and was not part of any such meetings or arrangements. I cannot and will not be disloyal to my boss, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

“I reaffirm my unwavering loyalty and support for Governor Seyi Makinde, his government, and his party. I remain firmly committed to the peace, unity, and continued progress of Oyo State. I vote for peace in Oyo State at all times,” he added.

But Mrs Ajimobi, who is also ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Austria, denied the allegation.

She described Mr Oyekola’s claims as “entirely false, baseless, and a deliberate act of disinformation.” 

In a statement on Tuesday by her media office, Mrs Ajimobi said the claim that she hosted or participated in any meeting in Lagos State or elsewhere, where plans to influence the assembly to impeach Mr Makinde were discussed, was intended to tarnish her image, de-market her and mislead the public.

“At no time did I convene, attend, or participate in any such meeting with any individual or group for the purpose of discussing impeachment or destabilising the Oyo State Government,” Mrs Ajimobi said.

She added, “Activities of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State are of no concern to me. Linking me to such a plot could only be borne out of mischief and deliberate reverse propaganda to malign my reputation.”

Restating her commitment to fostering peace and democratic values, Mrs Ajimobi stated that she had never been involved in actions capable of jeopardising the stability of the state.

Urging members of the public to disregard the purported allegation, Mrs Ajimobi warned that deliberate propagation of unfounded information could generate unnecessary political tension.

Mrs Ajimobi threatened to address the allegation legally if not retracted.

Similarly, the Olubadan dismissed the alleged impeachment claim as false and misleading.

In a statement on Tuesday by the monarch’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, he said the allegation was baseless and unrealistic.

He said, “You don’t have to be a former governor or a distinguished senator to know that a monarch has no power to impeach a local government chairman, let alone a state governor

“Less than 24 hours ago, it was alleged that the governor was planning to remove the Olubadan. Today, it is the Olubadan who allegedly wants to impeach the governor. So, who is fooling who?.”

Contacted, the state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade and the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, did not respond to calls made to their mobiles and text messages sent as of the time this report was filed.