By Akinwale Kasali
The Legislative Council of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State that consists of Councillors in different Wards has suspended its Chairman, Wale Adedayo for three months.
The seven councilors that moved for the suspension of Adedayo are; Fasheyi Adesuji representing Itele Ward 7, Bolutife Osunfisan representing Imushin Ward 2, Kemi Aliu, representing Imobi Ward 10, Adeniyi Adenuga representing Imusin ward 1, Abass sidikat representing Owu ward 5, Biyi Oguntubo representing Imobi ward 9, and Rotimi Williams representing Ajebandele ward 11, on Thursday.
The Councillors said the LGA’s Legislative Council had received various allegations that needed to be investigated, and directed Adedayo to appear before Council at its next sitting on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
Adedayo had alleged that Governor Dapo Abiodun diverted funds meant for Local Government for the past three months.
He described the act by Governor Abiodun as Financial Maladministration. He was suspended less than 24-hours after making the statement.
It would be recalled that Adedayo had dragged Governor Abiodun before the anti graft agency, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC demanding the investigation of the Governor over alleged mismanagement of Local Government funds.
Lawmakers of the Local Government in a letter titled, “Financial Maladministration of Hon. Wale Adedayo as Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Ogbere, Ijebu”, said the Council Legislators had received several allegations against the Chairman Mr. Adedayo, who had accused the Governor of withholding the LGs’ allocations.
The letter was signed by the Leader of the House, Hon. Fasheyi Akindele Adesuji and six other Councillors.
While directing Adedayo to hand over all the Council property in his care to the Council Vice Chairman, the Councillors noted that the three months suspension will enable them carry out necessary investigation of the Chairman.
Some of the allegations levelled against Adedayo included; that the Chairman withdrew N4million from the Local Government government account for empowerment in 2022, but no empowerment was done till date, wastage of N2milion naira on August 20, 2022 on Isese festival, N250,000 duty tour allowance for the Chairman and other top functionaries in June 2023 and nother N250,000 duty tour allowance for the Chairman and other top officials engagement.
Others allegations are; the Chairman purportedly spent N426,000 on production of report on 2020 ‘Jigbo’ festival in Ijebu East, when we were even yet elected, inauguration expenses of Women in Politics in ljebu East LG N350,000 in 2022, but no money was released to the women group.
“Entertainment and other logistics expenses during the commissioning of Legislative Building building N350k on 18th of April 2023. Another entertainment on the same commissioning of the Legislative Building N295k same day, 18th of April 2023”.
“The second 8.2 million sent from phase 2 of the project (tables and the chairs for schools) 20 (twenty) chairs were made with N8.2m. (Eight million two hundred thousand naira)”.
“Another N20 million sent from state is nowhere to be found.”
It was furthermore alleged that, “Another N15 million sent from the state went same way without any project to show for it.
“Award of two boreholes at a scandalous price of N1.8 million each, totaling N3.6 million for just two boreholes, 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 Hon. Tunde Emiola Gazal and inability to account for over N2.5m left in the project Account of the council by the previous administration for the completion of a school at Kajola, Ogbere, and the school still remain uncompleted till date”.
It furthermore added that Adedayo was also accused of Iilegal 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 ljebu East at this tough period.
The letter read, “having received the above allegations, there is 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, Hon. 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 in the 1999 Constitution of 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 in order to aid investigations.
“That the above Resolutions be copied to the Governor of Ogun State and the Ogun State House of Assembly”.
