Councilors in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State have suspended the embattled Chairman of the Local Government, Wale Adedayo for three months on allegations of maladministration and financial mismanagement.
On Thursday morning, seven Councilors said the Legislative Council received various allegations that needed to be investigated and directed Adedayo to appear at its next sitting on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
Fifteen allegations were leveled against the suspended chairman.
They include: Withdrawal of N4 million from the Local Government account for empowerment in 2022, which never took place; wastage of N2 million on Isese day on August 20, 2022; N260,000 duty tour allowance for the chairman and other top functionaries in June 2023; another N250,000 duty tour allowance for the chairman and other top officials engagement in Abeokuta in June 2023; N426,000 purportedly spent on the production of report on 2020 Jigbo Festival Ijebu East when we were even yet to be elected.
Other allegations include claiming N350, 000 for the inauguration of Women in Politics in Ijebu East in 2022. The money was not released to the group in 2022; N350, 000 entertainment and other logistics expenses during the commissioning of Legislative Building on April 18, 2023; another N250, 000 for entertainment on same commissioning of the Legislative Building on April 18, 2023; the second N8.2 million spent from phase 2 of the project (table and the chair for schools). 20 chairs were made with N8.2 million; another N20 million allocation from the state is nowhere to be found; another N15 million sent from the state went 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 votes 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 Gazal.
“Adedayo is also accused of inability to account for over N2.5million 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 till 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.”
According to the councilors, having received the above allegations, there is need for thorough investigation by the house.
“The house hereby resolved as follows: That the Chairman steps aside for the proper conduct of investigations; the Council Chairman, 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 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.”
“Signed: Fasheyi Akindele Adesuji, Leader of the House, Itele Ward 7; Bolutife Osunfisan, Deputy Leader, Imushin Ward 2; Kemi Aliu, Chief whip, Imobi Ward 10; Adeniyi Adenuga, Imusin Ward 1; Abass Sidikat, Owu Ward 5; Biyi Oguntubo, Imobi Ward 9; and Rotimi Olubode Williams, Ajebandele Ward 11.”
