The Ondo State House of Assembly complex was thrown into chaos on Thursday following an invasion by suspected thugs amid the impeachment saga against the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji.
The alleged invaders, who suddenly arrived at the legislative premises of the Assembly, combed the hallways, moving from office to office in what witnesses described as a terrifying display of force designed to intimidate lawmakers and administrative staff.
According to sources, the suspected thugs were allegedly mobilised to forestall the purported removal of the Speaker, who has been facing an impeachment battle in the Assembly.
For several tense minutes, the invaders held sway over the premises, disrupting the day’s legislative schedule and instilling palpable fear among workers, many of whom barricaded themselves inside their offices to avoid confrontation.
One of the staff members of the Assembly, who craved anonymity, said it took a coordinated intervention of some of the lawmakers and security operatives to force the intruders out of the premises.
“It took the combined efforts of Hon. Oguntodu, some members of the House, and the security agencies to ensure the hoodlums were displaced from the premises, the source said.
“They were moving erratically, and no one could ascertain their specific mission until the intervention occurred.”
Recall that over 22 of the 26 members of the Assembly had signed an impeachment notice calling for the Speaker’s immediate resignation.
The impeachment move stemmed from allegations of financial impropriety, over alleged diversion of N44 million from the budget of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, OSOPADEC.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around the Assembly complex, with some of the lawmakers currently in a marathon meeting.