The Chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, has been suspended for three months by the LGA’s legislative council.
The suspension came after Adedayo accused the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, of misappropriating over N17 billion Federal Allocation Funds meant for the LGAs in the state since 2021.
Adedayo confirmed his suspension to The Punch on Thursday, saying that policemen and thugs stormed the LGA secretariat in the morning.
He claimed that the thugs were members of the Black Axe confraternity based in Ijebu Ode. He also said that he had been summoned by the Secretary to the State Government and invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) to appear at its Abeokuta office on Friday for questioning.
According to a resolution letter obtained by The Punch, the LGA’s legislative council listed 15 allegations against Adedayo, ranging from financial mismanagement to abuse of office.
Some of the allegations include:
- Withdrawing N4 million from the local government’s account for empowerment in 2022, which never took place.
- Wasting N2 million on Iṣẹṣe Day on August 20, 2022.
- Claiming N350,000 for the inauguration of Women in Politics in Ijebu-East in 2022, but not releasing the money to the group.
- Spending N426,000 on the production of a report on the 2020 Jigbo festival Ijẹbu-East when he was not yet elected.
- Illegally collecting tax from Okada riders and drivers without the approval of the legislative council.
The legislative council directed Adedayo to appear before it at its next sitting on Thursday, September 14, 2023, to defend himself against the allegations.
The suspension of Adedayo has raised questions about the relationship between the state governor and the LGAs in Ogun State.
Adedayo had earlier alleged that Abiodun was withholding federal government allocations meant for LGAs in the state and using them for his personal projects. He also accused Abiodun of trying to impose his loyalists as LGA chairmen and councillors in the state.
Adedayo had also dragged Abiodun before the Economic Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding the investigation of the governor over the alleged mismanagement of local government funds.
The governor has not responded to Adedayo’s allegations or his suspension as of the time of writing this report.
