Oyo Assembly Leader Seeks Probe Over Defamation Allegations by Saki West Lawmaker

The Oyo State House of Assembly witnessed a heated session on Tuesday as the Majority Leader, Hon. Onaolapo Sanjo Adedoyin, raised a formal complaint against his colleague, Hon. Ibrahim Shittu, representing Saki West Constituency. Adedoyin accused Shittu of defamation of character, alleging that the lawmaker had publicly spread "wicked, baseless, and malicious" falsehoods accusing him of accepting bribes. The accusations center on a controversy involving the Chairman of Saki West Local Government, where Shittu claimed Adedoyin had been compromised to influence ongoing legislative investigations.

In a personal explanation delivered during the Assembly's first plenary session of 2026, Hon. Adedoyin categorically denied the allegations. He clarified that his involvement in the matter was strictly based on the directive of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, to review petitions submitted against the council chairman. The Majority Leader described Shittu’s claims as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and ridicule the leadership of the House. He emphasized that there is no shred of evidence to support the bribery claims, labelling them as political mudslinging intended to curry favor with constituents at the expense of the truth.

Adedoyin expressed deep personal distress over the incident, revealing that the allegations had caused significant psychological trauma to his family. "My image has been gravely damaged," he lamented, noting that he has been inundated with calls from concerned friends and associates. Beyond the personal toll, he argued that such reckless statements undermine the integrity of the entire legislative body and could incite public unrest if left unchecked. He accused Shittu of a pattern of absenteeism and neglect of duty, suggesting that the Saki West lawmaker resorts to character assassination to cover up his own legislative shortcomings.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, responded to the complaint by calling for caution and decorum among members. He warned against the use of inflammatory language that could heat up the polity and bring the House into disrepute. To ensure that justice is served and the dignity of the institution is preserved, the Speaker referred the matter to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges. The committee has been mandated to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations and report its findings back to the House within one week.

This development highlights the internal friction within the Oyo State Assembly and raises questions about the conduct of lawmakers in the public domain. The probe by the Ethics Committee will be closely watched, as its outcome could have significant implications for discipline and camaraderie within the legislative chamber. If Shittu is found culpable, he could face sanctions in line with the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act of 2017. Conversely, if he can substantiate his claims, it could trigger a much wider scandal involving the House leadership.