Following claims that Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun stole local government monies, the Legislative Council of the state’s Ijebu East Local Government Area dismissed the Council Chairman, Mr Wale Adedayo, for three months yesterday for what it termed as financial maladministration.
The Council legislators, in a letter titled ‘Financial maladministration of Mr Wale Adedayo as Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogbere in Ijebu, said they received several allegations against the embattled chairman.
The letter, by the Leader of the House, Mr Fasheyi Adesuji and six other Councillors, directed Mr Adedayo to hand over all the Council property in his care to the Council Vice Chairman.
The Councillors also noted that the three-month suspension will enable them to investigate the Chairman.
Alleged financial maladministration
Some of the allegations levelled against Mr Adedayo included that the Chairman withdrew millions from the local government account for empowerment in 2022, but no empowerment was done to date; wastage of N2million on August 20, 2022, on Isese festival; N250,000 duty tour allowance for the Chairman and other top functionaries in June 2023 and another N250,000 duty tour allowance for the Chairman and other top officials engagement.
It was further alleged that “the Chairman purportedly spent N426,000 on the production of a report on 2020 Jigbo festival in Ijebu East when we were even yet not elected, inauguration expenses of Women in Politics in Ijebu East LG N350,000 in 2022, but no money was released to the women group.
“N350,000 for entertainment and other logistics expenses during the commissioning of Legislative Building on April 18, 2023.
It was also alleged that another entertainment on the same commissioning of the Legislative Building N295, 000 on April 18, 2023.
“The second N8.2 million sent from phase 2 of the project (tables and the chairs for schools) 20 chairs were made with N8.2 million.
“Another N20 million sent from the state is nowhere to be found.
“Another N15 million sent from the state went the same way without any project to show for it.
“Award of two boreholes at a scandalous price of N1.8 million each, totalling N3.6 million for just two boreholes in August 2023. While he collects N3 million monthly as security votes, he has held on to the N300,000 monthly security vote of the Vice Chairman for about five months. He has refused to pay up, despite several interventions and meetings on the issue by the ALGON Executives, led by Mr Tunde Gazal and the inability to account for over N2.5 million left in the project account of the council by the previous administration for the completion of a school at Kajola, Ogbere, and the school remains uncompleted till date.”
Mr Adedayo was also accused of illegal tax collection from Ijebu East Okada riders and drivers via what he called “levy” without the approval of the Legislative Council, which is double taxation for the people of Ijebu East during this tough period.
The letter reads: “Having received the above allegations, there is a need for thorough investigation by the House. The House, therefore, resolved as follows that the Chairman steps aside for the proper conduct of investigations.
“The Council Chairman, Mr Wale Adedayo, is hereby suspended for three months pending the conclusion of the investigations and therefore directed to handover all the properties of the Council in his possession to the Vice Chairman, who will act as the Chairman during the suspension of the Chairman as provided for the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“The Council Chairman is directed to appear before the House on the next sitting of the House on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
“That the Council Treasurer, through the Head of the Local Government Administration, HOLGA, should furnish the House with financial/bank statement of the Council in the last two years, along with other relevant documents and vouchers as the House may require to aid investigations.
“That the above Resolutions be copied to the Governor of Ogun State and the Ogun State House of Assembly.”
Allegations against me are baseless—LG boss
Reacting to his suspension, the embattled chairman described all the allegations levelled against him by the Councillors as ‘baseless and without foundation’, saying the suspension did not follow due process.
Adedayo said: “The suspension or impeachment of a local government chairman ought to follow due process. The first stage is a letter to me about the so-called infractions.
“Of course, they stormed the Council secretariat with more than 100 armed policemen Thursday morning along with thugs and agberos. They thought we were going to react violently as they had prepared. We are in a democracy. We’ll challenge them democratically.
“All the allegations are baseless and without foundation. They forcefully marched the Clerk of the House to Abeokuta yesterday along with the local government’s Head of Administration, HOLGA. So, we knew what the Governor was up to before the charade of this morning.
“And immediately they finished all of them were taken in a vehicle to Abeokuta. Of course, I was told that N1m was given to each person who signed. We are not bothered. Once the EFCC comes, the books of the local government can also be opened for them to see.”
Ogun Assembly summons Accountant-General, JAAC members
Meanwhile, the Ogun House of Assembly, yesterday, summoned the State Accountant-General as well as all members of the Joint Account Allocations Committee, JAAC, to appear before it over local government funds in the state.
Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Olakunle Oluomo, who issued the invite during plenary in Abeokuta, directed those invited to appear before the House on August 31 by 1 pm.
Oluomo said: “The reason for the invitation was for a thorough explanation to the House on what was happening at the local governments so that the people of the state could be fully briefed.
“The meeting would afford the House of Assembly to know what was happening and thereafter take necessary action.
“We have the power to investigate what’s happening in our state and then do the needful.
“But I want to appeal to those that are concerned to please let’s maintain law, peace and order in our various places, particularly in Ijebu East local government where I heard that protests are going on.
“Everyone should calm down and allow us to do our job.
“I, hereby, invite the Accountant-General of the state and all members of the Joint Account Allocations Committee to appear before the House on Friday by 1 pm.
“They are to come and explain to the House what exactly is happening so that the people of the state shall be fully briefed.”