Councilors suspend Wale Adedayo as chairman, level 15 allegations against him

The Councilors of Ijebu East Local Government of Ogun State has suspended the chairman of the council, Wale Adedayo over alleged financial maladministration, also directed him to appear before them at their next sitting scheduled to hold on 14 September, 2023 at the council’s secretariat in Ogbere.

Penpushing reports that seven out of eleven lawmakers gave the order on Thursday having levelled fifteen allegations against him which include withdrawal of N4million from local government account for empowerment in 2022, which never took place, and wastage of N2million on Isese day on August 20,2023

The other allegations include duty tour allowance for the chairman and other top functionaries N260,000 in June 2023, 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.

Penpushing further reports the councilors alleged Adedayo of N426,000 purportedly spent on the production of report on 2020 Jigbo festival Ijebu-East,  when they (lawmakers)were even yet to be elected, as well as claiming N350, 000 to the inauguration of Women in Politics in Ijebu East in 2022,addig that the money was not released to the group in 2022

The other allegations also were entertainment and other logistics expenses during the commissioning of Legislative Building at N350,000 on 18th of April 2023, another entertainment on that same commissioning of the Legislative Building at N295,000 same day, 18th of April 2023.

Penpushing also reports that he was alleged that the second N8.2million sent from phase 2 of the project (table and the chair for schools) 20 (twenty) chairs were made with N8.2million, as well as another N20million allocation from the state is nowhere to be found.

The other allegations are  N15million sent from the state went same way without any project to show for it, award  of two boreholes at the cost of N1.8million each totaling N3.6million in August 2023, while he collected 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.

Penpushing further reports that Adedayo was alleged to have refused to pay up despite several interventions and meetings on the issue by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) executive, led by Hon. Tunde Emiola Gazal.

The councilors in same vein alleged him of inability to account for over N2.5million left in the Project Account of the council by previous administration for the completion of a school at Kajola, Ogbere, and that the school remains uncompleted till date.

Penpushing also reports that other allegations include 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.

The legislators posited that having received the above allegations, there is need for thorough investigation by the House, and therefore resolved that the chairman step aside for the proper conduct of investigations.

Penpushing further reports that other resolutions stated that Adedayo is therefore suspended for three months pending the conclusion of the investigations and therefore directed him to handover all the properties of the Council in his possession to the Vice Chairman, who will act as the Chairman during the period

‘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 resolution reads.

‘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’, the resolution signed by the leader of the House, Hon Adesuji Fasheyi, and six others, lawmakers s emphasised.

Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that Adedayo had earlier accused the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun of starving the local governments, operating on zero allocation, while in a twist of event, his colleagues exonerated the Governor

The suspended chairman, however, in reaction to the development said his suspension did not follow due process, alleging that two of the lawmakers who signed the resolution suspending him were led to the council secretariat at gunpoint.

‘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 this morning, along with thugs and ‘agberos’, Adedayo said

‘They think 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’, Adedayo declared.

‘They forcefully marched the Clerk of the House to Abeokuta yesterday along with the local government’s HOLGA. So, we knew what the Governor was up to before the charade of this morning’, he stated.

‘Two of the councilors were led to the Council at gunpoint. And immediately after they finished, all of them were taken in a vehicle to Abeokuta. Of course, I was told that N1 million was given to each person that signed. We are not bothered. Once the EFCC comes, the books of the local government can also be opened for them to see,” he added.

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