Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, has denied involvement in an alleged plot to impeach Governor Seyi Makinde, confirming only that he was approached with a monetary offer to support such a move, which he rejected. He denied receiving any money from APC-linked figures, calling the claims false and politically motivated. Ogundoyin stated that his recent visit to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, was related to personal political ambitions and not part of any anti-governor agenda. The Olubadan's media aide, Adeola Oloko, issued a statement on Tuesday dismissing reports linking the monarch to impeachment discussions. Oloko emphasized that traditional rulers have no constitutional authority to impeach a governor or even a local government chairman. Florence Ajimobi, former First Lady of Oyo State, also denied participating in any meeting about impeaching Makinde, labeling the allegations baseless and designed to mislead the public.
Adebo Ogundoyin's admission that he was offered money to back an impeachment effort—while denying he accepted it—places him at the center of a credibility test, not just a political one. The fact that such an offer was made at all suggests that powerful actors see the Assembly as a potential lever for regime change, regardless of public sentiment or constitutional propriety. When a Speaker publicly acknowledges being targeted with inducements, it exposes the fragility of institutional loyalty in Oyo's governance structure.
The denials from Florence Ajimobi and the Olubadan reflect a broader pattern: the recurring use of symbolic figures to lend legitimacy to behind-the-scenes political maneuvers. Oba Ladoja's outright rejection of any role in impeachment matters underscores the tension between traditional authority and modern governance—especially when his name is invoked despite constitutional irrelevance to such processes. The claim that a monarch could influence a governor's fate reveals more about the myth-making in Nigerian politics than actual power dynamics.
Ordinary citizens in Oyo State are left navigating a landscape where political stability hinges on backroom negotiations rather than policy or performance. If legislative leadership is seen as purchasable, public trust in democratic outcomes erodes, particularly among voters who expect accountability, not palace intrigues. The episode feeds cynicism about whether elected officials serve constituents or silent financiers.
This is not an isolated incident but part of a recurring script in Nigerian subnational politics—where impeachment threats emerge not from proven misconduct but from shifting alliances and power calculations. Oyo's political class continues to mirror a system where institutions bend under personal ambition.
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