The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, and Mrs Florence Ajimobi, wife of late former governor Abiola Ajimobi, have strongly denied claims that they influenced members of the Oyo State House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Seyi Makinde.
The controversy erupted after the Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin, was linked to an alleged plot, prompting several lawmakers to publicly dissociate themselves from any such move.
Earlier, the Chief Whip of the Assembly, Gbenga Oyekola, claimed that the Speaker had been invited separately by the Olubadan and Mrs Ajimobi over political discussions. According to him, the monarch allegedly advised Ogundoyin on his governorship ambition and offered support, including facilitating a House of Representatives ticket under the APC.
He also stated, “He said he was offered money but declined and did not collect anything from them.”
Oyekola further alleged that the invitations were part of efforts to destabilise the state and create divisions within the Assembly, potentially paving the way for an impeachment move. He maintained his distance from the alleged plot, saying, “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, Governor Seyi Makinde.”
Other lawmakers echoed similar positions, reaffirming their loyalty to the governor and denying any involvement in impeachment discussions.
Reacting, the Olubadan, through his media aide, Adeola Oloko, rejected the allegations and cautioned against politicising the traditional institution.
The palace statement read, “To say the least, this is a lie. You don’t have to be a former governor or distinguished senator to know that a monarch has no power to impeach a local government chairman, let alone a state governor.
“This becomes intriguing when, less than 24 hours earlier, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged the state governor’s purported plot to remove the Olubadan.
“Today, it is the Olubadan who allegedly wants to impeach the governor. So, who is fooling whom? Don’t drag the Olubadan throne into dirty politics.”
Similarly, Mrs Ajimobi dismissed allegations that she offered financial inducements to lawmakers, describing the claims as “entirely false, baseless, and a deliberate act of disinformation.”
In a statement from her media office, she said, “At no time did Ajimobi convene, attend or participate in any such meeting with any individual or group for the purpose of discussing impeachment or destabilising the state government.”
She further described the accusations as “malicious political propaganda aimed at bringing her into disrepute, particularly among the people of the state and beyond.”
The statement added, “Activities of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo 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.”
Amid the controversy, Ogundoyin himself denied receiving any inducement to facilitate impeachment proceedings, insisting the allegations were fabricated.
He said, “No money exchanged hands at any meeting. The rumour was fabricated to tarnish my image and destabilise the state government and legislature.
“I was presented with juicy offers and opportunities, but I declined without hesitation because nothing can sway my conscience or weaken my loyalty to the governor, the party and the people we were elected to serve.
“I remain fully committed to upholding the integrity of this House and will not be part of any agenda aimed at destabilising the government we built.”
The Speaker reiterated his loyalty to the governor and the ruling PDP, adding that “no one would succeed in driving a wedge between him and the administration or derail the collective mandate they were elected to uphold.”
Clarifying his visit to the Olubadan, Ogundoyin said it was “purely consultative and took place weeks earlier,” explaining that he had visited the monarch to seek blessings for his governorship ambition in line with tradition.
Meanwhile, Shola Ladoja weighed in on the issue, initially threatening to release evidence if necessary.
He wrote, “I was the one who took Debo Ogundoyin to Kabiyesi (my father) because he begged me to. Dear Chief Whip, you have just been used as a tool by a coward and a liar. I will release receipts if Debo doesn’t do the right thing. All because of his selfish ambitions to be governor.”
However, he later clarified his statement, saying, “My recent tweet was deleted because I realised a lot of people thought I meant a payment receipt. No. I meant receipt of our conversations.
“Debo, on March 25, begged me to take him to my father to back him for the gubernatorial ambition, which I was very hesitant to do.
“Kabiyesi only advised him on how to go about the screening and prayed for him. Whoever is spreading this rumour only wants to create a rift between Kabiyesi and His Excellency. Please leave us out of this.”
In a separate reaction, the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress dismissed allegations linking its members, including President Bola Tinubu, to any impeachment plot.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the party described the claims as “a badly written script aimed at distracting the general public and also attracting undue sympathy for the governor, who faces imminent political retirement as a result of his own ego and naivety.”
The party added, “Governor Makinde ought to have been impeached long ago if the state House of Assembly members were alive to their responsibilities, in view of several cases of abuse of office which have been recorded against him since May 2019.”
It further stated, “Governor Makinde just decided to get some of his yes-men to implement a badly written script aimed at offering him a soft landing in the minds of some gullible supporters, including those who have put their political future in his hands, especially now that it is almost certain that he (Makinde) might not have a political party to sponsor any candidate in the 2027 general elections.
“Sadly, an informed source had it that the impeachment story was sold to mitigate the effects of the revelation made by the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, about the plan to dethrone the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Ladoja (Arusa I), but the fact remains that no external person is interested in an impeachment process against a governor who has already reached a cul-de-sac.
“Meanwhile, no amount of blackmail or propaganda can save Governor Makinde from impeachment, as we believe that his false alarm would serve as an eye-opener to the whole world that he has skeletons in the cupboard.”
