Oyo Assembly Moves to Sanction Saki West Lawmaker Over Defamation Scandal

The Oyo State House of Assembly has taken a decisive step towards penalizing the member representing Saki West State Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Shittu, following the submission of a report by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges. In a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, the House resolved to refer the matter back to the committee, specifically charging it to recommend appropriate disciplinary actions against the lawmaker for what has been established as a breach of legislative privileges and defamation of character.

The disciplinary proceedings stem from a heated controversy that erupted a week earlier when the Majority Leader, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), formally complained to the House about Hon. Shittu’s conduct. Adedoyin had accused Shittu of making "wicked, baseless, and malicious" public statements alleging that the House leadership had accepted bribes to compromise an investigation into the Chairman of Saki West Local Government. The allegations, which Shittu reportedly made during a public event in his constituency and circulated on social media, claimed that the House Leader was "settled" to manipulate the probe.

Upon receiving the complaint on January 20, 2026, the Speaker mandated the Ethics Committee to investigate the veracity of the claims and report back within one week. The committee's findings, presented at Tuesday's plenary, reportedly unsubstantiated Shittu's claims, confirming that the bribery allegations were unfounded and damaging to the integrity of the legislature. Consequently, the House has now moved from the investigative phase to the punitive phase.

The referral back to the committee for "disciplinary action" suggests that the House is considering significant sanctions. In legislative practice, such actions typically range from a formal reprimand and demand for a public apology to an indefinite suspension from legislative activities. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin, emphasized that the integrity of the institution is paramount and that reckless utterances capable of inciting public distrust would not be tolerated. He noted that freedom of speech within the legislature does not cover the fabrication of lies against colleagues.

This development also highlights the underlying political tension within the Assembly. Hon. Shittu, a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), has frequently been at odds with the PDP-dominated House. He previously clashed with the leadership over the approval of the N300 billion loan request by Governor Seyi Makinde, leading to accusations of absenteeism and antagonism from the ruling party lawmakers. Shittu’s supporters have characterized the disciplinary moves as a witch-hunt designed to silence a critical opposition voice.

However, the House leadership insists that the issue is strictly about conduct and adherence to the Assembly’s standing rules. They argue that Shittu’s pattern of skipping committee assignments and resorting to public blackmail violates the code of conduct for honorable members. As the Ethics Committee retires to determine the specific punishment, the political atmosphere in the Assembly remains charged, with the likelihood of a suspension hanging over the Saki West representative. The final recommendations are expected to be ratified in the next plenary session, potentially sidelining Shittu from the House for the foreseeable future.