Shock resignations shake Ondo Assembly as Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader step down

The Ondo State House of Assembly witnessed a dramatic turn on Tuesday as two top-ranking lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, Deputy Speaker Abayomi Akinruntan and Majority Leader Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, unexpectedly resigned from their leadership positions during plenary.

The announcements, made on the floor of the Assembly in Akure on 3 June 2025, have prompted a rapid reshuffle within the ruling party’s legislative hierarchy. The resignations, coming without prior warning, have sparked speculation about deeper political manoeuvres within the state’s power structure.

Akinruntan, who represents Ilaje Constituency 1, and Ogunmolasuyi of Owo Constituency 1, formally stepped down during a session presided over by Speaker Olamide Oladiji. In his brief statement, Akinruntan attributed his decision to what he described as “political power-sharing arrangements within the state,” pointing to ongoing internal negotiations within the APC.

In what appears to have been a tightly coordinated succession plan, the Assembly wasted no time in filling the vacant positions. Ololade Gbegudu, member representing Okitipupa Constituency 2, was immediately named Deputy Speaker, while Olatunji Oshati of Ose State Constituency was appointed as the new Majority Leader.

The seamless transition, executed within the same plenary sitting, suggests the party had already brokered an agreement behind closed doors, avoiding any prolonged vacuum or leadership contest on the floor.

Although no official crisis has been declared, the circumstances surrounding the resignations and the swift appointments have raised questions about the extent of political realignment within the state’s ruling party. No formal communication was issued by the APC leadership as of press time, and Speaker Oladiji offered no further comment on the underlying implications of the development during the session.