Ogun councillors suspend LGA chairman who accused Dapo Abiodun of ‘hijacking funds’

Wale Adedayo, the chairman of Ijebu East LGA of Ogun state, has been suspended for three months over allegations of maladministration and financial mismanagement.

Adedayo was suspended on Thursday by seven councillors of the LGA’s legislative council.

The local legislators said they received different petitions on the allegations that needed to be investigated.

The councillors have directed Adedayo to appear in its next sitting on September 14.

FROM ACCUSATION TO SUSPENSION

Adedayo’s suspension is coming a few days after he accused Dapo Abiodun, the Ogun governor, of hijacking funds meant for the LGAs in the state.

Adedayo accused Abiodun of withholding the statutory federal allocation due to the LGAs for the last two years.

In a letter, on Sunday, the embattled LGA chairman begged Olusegun Osoba, former governor of the state, to wade into the matter.

“Since we (Ogun State Local Government Chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been ZERO Federal Allocation to each local government,” Adedayo wrote in the letter.

Adedayo also alleged that the trend of denying LGAs their federal allocations in the state began during the leadership of Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun former governor.

“And, as it is happening today, it was based on a spurious claim of helping some local governments who may not be able to fulfill their obligations to the people because of financial challenges,” he said.

When the letter went viral, Adedayo, joined by other 19 LGA chairmen in the state, went to the government house, on Tuesday, to apologise to the governor who was said to be angry.

A viral video appeared to show how the LGA chairmen prostrated before the governor for forgiveness over Adedayo’s letter. 

ADEBAYO’S MANY ‘SINS’ 

According to a document issued by the councillors, on Thursday, fifteen allegations were levelled against the suspended chairman.

The councillors accused Adedayo of “withdrawal of N4 million from LG account for empowerment in 2022, which never took place. Wastage of N2 million on Iṣẹṣe Day on August 20, 2022. Duty tour allowance of N260,000 for the chairman and other top functionaries in June 2023,” the document read.

“Another duty tour allowance for the chairman and other top officials’ engagement in Abeokuta to the tune of N250,000, also ratified in June 2023. N426,000 was purportedly spent on the production of a report on the 2020 Jigbo Festival Ijẹbu-East when we were even yet to be elected. Claimant of N350,000 for the inauguration of Women in Politics in Ijebu-East in 2022; the money was not released to the group in 2022.

“Entertainment and other logistics expenses during the commissioning of a legislative building at N350,000 on April 18, 2023. Another entertainment on that same commissioning of the legislative building at N295,000 same day, 18th of April 2023. The second N8.2 million was sent from phase 2 of the project (table and the chair for schools) 20 chairs were made with N8.2m.

“N20 million allocation 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 the cost of N1.8 million each totaling N3.6 million 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 executive, led by Tunde Emiola.

“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. The school remains uncompleted to date. Illegal tax collection from Okada riders and drivers via what the chairman called “levy” without the approval of the Legislative Council, which is double taxation for the people of Ijebu East at this tough period. Having received the above allegations, there is a need for a thorough investigation by the House.”

ADEDAYO: GOVERNOR MUST ACCOUNT FOR LGA FUNDS

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Adedayo said despite the move to sack him from office, he would stand on his grounds that the governor must account for LGA funds.

“Yesterday, the Clerk of the House was summoned to Abeokuta along with our HOLGA. Of course, they wanted to impeach me since Tuesday. They claimed it has been done today after more than 100 armed policemen invaded the local government,” Adedayo said.

“So, after this one, does it make the allegations go away? Mr. Governor still have to account for all the funds since 2019. And we are yet to open another box on the N52 billion.”