A quorum of councilors in Ogun State’s Ijebu East Local Government Area has suspended the LGA’s Chairman, Wale Adedayo, for three months on grounds of maladministration and financial mismanagement.
In response to the news, Adedayo told our correspondent that it could be real, adding that police officers and thugs stormed the LGA secretariat on Thursday morning.
“It’s possible. Policemen and thugs bombarded the office this morning,” Adedayo said in an unexplained WhatsApp message in response to our query.
This was in response to an alleged move by the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to impeach Adedayo, who had recently accused the governor of withholding federal government allocations meant for LGAs within the state.
On Thursday, seven councilors, 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, said the LGA’s legislative council received various allegations that needed to be investigated and directed Adedayo to appear before council at its next sitting on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
In a resolution letter received exclusively by our correspondent and signed by seven councilors, including the house leader, Fasheyi Adesuji, who represents Itele Ward 7, 15 complaints were leveled against the suspended chairman.
Among these is the purported “withdrawal of N4 million from LG account for empowerment in 2022, which never occurred.” N2 million was squandered on Ie Day, August 20, 2022. In June 2023, the chairman and other top functionaries will receive a duty tour allowance of N260,000.
“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.
“Another N20million 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 N3.6million 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 during this tough period. Having received the above allegations, there is a need for a thorough investigation by the House.”
Following the claims, the house resolved, “That the chairman step aside to allow for the proper conduct of investigations. The chairman of the council, Hon. Wale Adedayo, is hereby suspended for three months pending the completion of the investigations and is therefore directed to hand over all council properties in his possession to the Vice Chairman, who will act as Chairman during the Chairman’s suspension, as provided in 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. The Council Treasurer, through the Head of the Local Government Administration, should furnish the 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. The sitting is hereby adjourned to Thursday, September 14, 2023.”
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