The Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected the apology tendered by a lawmaker representing Saki West State Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Shittu, describing it as “reserved,” unremorseful, and inconsistent with the ethical standards of the legislature.
The decision was taken during plenary following the presentation of a report by the Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola, on allegations arising from comments made by Shittu in a viral video.
Hon. Shittu had earlier appeared before the House to reaffirm his position on claims he said he overheard during a phone conversation between the Majority Leader and the Chairman of Saki West Local Government.
Although he apologised for speaking on what he admitted was inadequate information that brought disrepute to the Assembly, lawmakers faulted both the tone and substance of the apology.
Members held that the apology was not unreserved and lacked genuine remorse, noting that it appeared calculated and made under pressure. Consequently, the House declined to accept it.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Waliu Ayinde, representing Orelope State Constituency, informed the House that members of the All Progressives Congress had written to the Ethics and Privileges Committee to plead on behalf of Hon. Shittu and appealed for leniency.
Hon. Olushola Owolabi, representing Ibadan North East II, thanked the House for what he described as its magnanimous handling of the matter.
He recalled that the 9th Assembly was made up of cerebral lawmakers who never brought the institution into disrepute and cautioned the erring member to desist from actions capable of staining the image of the House, stressing that an injury to the leadership affects all members.
On his part, Hon. Bamidele Adeola, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency, said the Speaker had already taken necessary steps to address the petition referenced by Hon. Shittu. He added that despite repeated requests for evidence to substantiate the claims, none was presented during the committee’s investigation.
Hon. Saminu Gbadamosi, representing Saki East State Constituency, demanded that Hon. Shittu submit a properly written, formal, and unreserved apology to the House.
Similarly, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mohammed Fadeyi, faulted the apology, stating that it did not emanate from a place of remorse. He described it as a diplomatic apology and insisted that a written apology be formally presented to the Assembly.
Hon. Babajide Gabriel, representing Ibadan North State Constituency, praised the Speaker’s leadership, describing him as worthy of emulation by aspiring legislators. He noted that although Hon. Shittu was a colleague and friend, his conduct suggested a pattern of behaviour that had isolated him from others.
He further demanded that a written apology be published in no fewer than three national dailies, adding that a motion would be moved to that effect.
While several lawmakers appealed to the House to temper justice with mercy, they maintained that the apology could not be accepted in its present form.
They supported its rejection and called for further legislative action until the lawmaker fully complied with the House’s demands.
The Vice Chairman of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, Hon. Yusuf Adebisi, expressed surprise that Hon. Shittu, who had earlier agreed to apologise after a heated exchange with the Majority Leader during the committee’s sitting, would present what he described as an unremorseful apology before the House.
In the same vein, Hon. Rahman Olorunpoto, representing Oyo East/West State Constituency, said the matter should not be treated lightly, stressing the need for decisive action to serve as a deterrent to others. He insisted that although an apology was offered, it was unacceptable and must be reviewed and properly re-presented.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, noted that Hon. Shittu’s meeting with the Majority Leader was in line with the leadership’s directive to resolve issues raised against the local government chairman internally. He affirmed that no additional evidence was produced by the petitioner during the investigation.
The Speaker explained that allegations of bribery levelled against the Majority Leader were grave and scandalous, requiring a formal and unreserved written apology rather than a mere verbal expression on the floor of the House.
He thereafter put the matter to a voice vote, which was unanimously adopted.
The Speaker consequently ruled that the apology be rejected and directed the lawmaker to review and re-present it in line with the House’s expectations.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the Leader of the House, Hon. Onaolapo Sanjo Adedoyin, representing Ogbomoso South State Constituency, had earlier issued a strong rebuttal to the bribery allegations made against him by Hon. Shittu.
Hon. Adedoyin described the claims as wicked, baseless, and malicious, insisting they were designed to tarnish his image and undermine the integrity of the Assembly.
The controversy followed allegations made by Hon. Shittu during a public programme in Saki town, where he accused Adedoyin of accepting bribes from the Chairman of Saki West Local Government to influence investigations into alleged misconduct.
Addressing the House in a personal explanation during the Assembly’s first plenary session of 2026, Adedoyin categorically denied the allegations, stating that he merely acted on the directive of the Speaker to review petitions against the local government chairman.
“These allegations are not only false and malicious but are clearly intended to ridicule the leadership of this Honourable House and damage my personal reputation,” Adedoyin said, adding that no evidence existed to support the claims.
He further noted that Shittu’s comments also maligned the Speaker and the Special Ad-hoc Committee that conducted oversight in Oyo North, pointing out that Shittu had absented himself from the committee’s assignment, which he described as a recurring pattern of neglect of legislative duties.
Hon. Adedoyin warned that such reckless statements could incite public unrest and erode confidence in the Assembly. He revealed that the allegations had caused him and his family significant distress, noting that his image had been gravely damaged by the claims.
He therefore appealed to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure justice in line with the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, and the Assembly’s Standing Rules.
Reacting, the Speaker cautioned lawmakers against making unnecessary, unfounded, or exaggerated utterances capable of misleading the public, igniting tension, or undermining the integrity of the Assembly.
To safeguard the dignity of the legislature and ensure due process, the Speaker referred the matter to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges and directed it to conduct a thorough investigation and report its findings to the Assembly within one week.