Ondo and other states' Houses of Assembly were dissolved on Friday.
Meanwhile, indications emerged on Friday that the 10th Assembly in Ondo State will be inaugurated today. The Assembly’s Information Officer, Kehinde Adeleye, confirmed this to journalists, saying all was set for the exercise.
Ahead of the inauguration, which will be preceded by the proclamation by the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), there had been intrigues over the emergence of the next leaders of the House.
Out of 26 lawmakers that would be inaugurated, 22 are members of the governing All Progressives Congress while the remaining four are members of the Peoples Democratic Party. Meanwhile, only four out of the current 26 members are returning while 22 are new members.
According to information available to news men, that the next Speaker would emerge from among the old members, a development that was said to have caused high-level lobbying among interested members. A source in the Assembly said that the APC leadership in the state was involved in the matter.
The source said, “There is a strong power play going on over who becomes the next Speaker and other principal officers. Lawmakers are lobbying their godfathers to get one position or the other.
“The governor and other party leaders have influence on who becomes the leader of the Assembly, which is why a meeting would be held before the inauguration, where the leadership positions would be decided on by the party leaders.â€
It was gathered that the four returning lawmakers, one of whom might be elected as the speaker are, Mr. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi from Owo Constituency 1; Mr Ololade Gbegudu from Okitipupa Constituency 2; Mr Abayomi Akinruntan representing Ilaje 1; and Oladiji Olamide who represents Ondo East Constituency.
Meanwhile, the outgoing speaker, Mr. Bamidele Oloyeloogun, denied rumours that he resigned on Friday, as he described it as a rumour and the handiwork of fifth columnists bent on throwing the state into anarchy.