Gov Abiodun Allegedly Suspends LG Chairman for Dragging Him to EFCC, ICPC

By Correspondent

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has allegedly ordered the suspension of Ijebu East Local Government in his state for daring to complain about the syphoning of funds met for the development of rural areas of Ogun State. The Chairman Mr. Wale Adedayo has allegedly been suspended by the legislative arm of the council.

Adedayo is reported to have accused his state governor of diverting the council money from the Federal Allocation and followed his action with a petition to both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

Sources has it that, several police officers and thugs were seen at the council secretariat on Thursday August 31, 2023, hanging around the vicinity of the council office, before Adebayo was suspended.

The chairman in turn has been accused of financial mismanagement by his councilors.

They claimed to be in receipt of petitions against the chairman from “different quarters, accusing him of maladministration and misappropriation of fund.”

Abiodun’s suspension was effected with a quorum of the councilors, who has been asked to stay out of office for three months.

Reports cited the said petition against Governor Abiodun to the EFCC and ICPC to have alleged that, “the governor has not remitted kobo from the federal allocation from the federal allocation to the local governments in the state.”

The councilors have directed Adedayo to appear before the lawmakers on September 14, 2023, to defend himself.

It will be recalled that on August 30, 2023, Nigerians were treated to drama, with a viral video that showed other local government chairman in the state prostrating and begging the governor not to take any strict action against the suspended Adedayo.

Wale Adedayo, in his petition, copied to former governor Segun Osoba, accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting the statutory Federal Allocation due to the state’s Local Governments in the last two years. He alleged that over N10.8bn fund of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme had been diverted by the governor.

The brave LG boss claimed that the 10 per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the constitution also stipulated should go to the local government has also been diverted by Governor Abiodun, since he got into office.

A meeting that was ordered by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, with all the council chairmen saw all chairmen, except Adebayo, prostrating to apologies to the governor.

In a video released by the governor’s media team, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Emilola Gazal, pleaded on behalf of his colleagues, forgiveness.

Gazal said: “We are here to beg you as a father that you are in this state. Your Excellency, please forgive us. If you don’t forgive us, who do we go to? So, on behalf of all of us, I’m tendering this apology, and in particular, on behalf of Wale Adedayo.”

After saying this, the council boss prostrated before the governor and others followed suit as they begged Abiodun to forgive them.

A visibly shaken Governor Abiodun responded that he had been operating with “every iota of sincerity of purpose.”

He added that he had continued to ensure that “I am guided with all the promises I made in the course of my journey to the governor’s office.”

Meanwhile, the EFCC, Midwest Herald learnt has been invited the Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, along with Heads of Local Government Administration in Ogun State.

It is widely believed that governors are the major impediment to the development of local government administration and by extension, rural development across the states in Nigeria.