Oyo assembly accepts member’s apology over defamatory statement against colleague

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday accepted the apology tendered by a member, Ibrahim Shittu, over a defamatory statement and video that breached the ethics and standing rules of the House.
The apology, which had earlier been submitted to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, was formally read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk of the House, Muraina Taiwo-Akinola,
The Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin, on January 20 accused a fellow lawmaker, Mr Shittu, representing Saki West State Constituency, of making defamatory and malicious allegations against him and the leadership of the Assembly.
Mr Adedoyin, who represents Ogbomoso South, raised the matter as a personal explanation on the floor during the first plenary sitting for 2026.
The majority leader described the allegations as a grave infringement on his legislative privileges and a direct attack on his integrity and the institution of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Mr Adedoyin said that the controversy arose from a speech delivered by Mr Shittu during a public programme in Saki Town, which subsequently circulated widely across social media platforms.
Recall that on January 27, Mr Shittu tendered an oral apology which was rejected by the house.
The house stated that the apology failed to meet the ethical standards of the legislature.
In the written apology, Mr Shittu expressed regret over the statement and video, acknowledging that his actions fell short of the ethical standards expected of a member of the assembly.
He admitted that the conduct constituted a breach of House rules and had the potential of bringing the legislature into disrepute.
Ruling on the matter, the speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin accepted the apology, describing the acknowledgment of error and expression of remorse as important steps in preserving the dignity and sanctity of the assembly.
The speaker urged members to always conduct themselves responsibly and to be cautious in their actions and utterances, both within and outside the legislative chambers.
He further reminded lawmakers that their conduct in public spaces reflects on the image and credibility of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
“There’s need for all members to uphold the highest standards of discipline, decorum, and accountability,” he said.
Other lawmakers such as the Minority Leader, Waliu Ayinde and the Chief Whip, Gbenga Oyekola, who doubles as the Chairman on Ethics and Privileges Committee, commended the speaker for handling the matter with the highest level of maturity, wisdom, and statesmanship.
They described his intervention as balanced, firm, and reflective of the dignity of the House.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette

States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Abuja
Abuja residents cry out over rising food prices as yuletide approaches
Abuja residents and traders across its community markets have expressed concern over rising food prices ahead of yuletide.

States
EFCC recovers N211.4 million for two property fraud victims in Delta
Mr Sa’ad reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to recovering proceeds of crime.

Health
KADCHMA launches enrolment centre to boost informal sector participation
KADCHMA has expanded its health insurance awareness campaign into the informal sector to increase access to affordable healthcare.

Rights
Nigerian father gets N300,000 fine, 20 lashes for sexually assaulting four-year-old daughter repeatedly
The police command in Adamawa says a 45-year-old father has been convicted of sexually assaulting his four-year-old daughter.

World
Xi calls for peaceful reunification of Taiwan with China
Xi Jinping has called for the peaceful reunification of Taiwan with China, reaffirming his commitment to implementing a ‘one country, two systems’ policy.

Africa
Caine Prize finds no evidence Simbarashe Kundizeza used AI in winning story
According to the publication, only the epigraph was not AI-generated. Ms Vara relied solely on the software to make her claim.





