The impeached chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area in Ogun State is currently facing legal proceedings in court. The charges against him stem from his accusation that the governor had been withholding the statutory federal allocation meant for local governments in the state over the past two years.
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has issued a plea to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, urging him to cease the ongoing persecution of Mr. Adewale Adedayo, the impeached chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area. Adedayo had raised concerns about the alleged withholding of statutory federal allocation meant for local governments in the state over the past two years.
SaharaReporters, Ogun Today and others previously disclosed that Adedayo had penned a letter, which gained widespread attention, addressed to a former governor of the state, Chief Segun Osoba. In the letter, he called on Osoba to use his influence to address the issue of zero allocation of federal funds to local governments in the state during Governor Abiodun’s administration.
In response to the letter, Adedayo was impeached by Ijebu East Local Councillors and subsequently arrested and charged in court for accusing the governor of withholding federal allocation to local governments. The state government has refuted these allegations.
AFRICMIL, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Chido Onumah, expressed its disapproval of the governor’s actions and called for an end to Adedayo’s persecution. The organization emphasized that Adedayo was well within his rights to demand transparency and accountability in the administration of local government funds, and his actions should be commended rather than punished.
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AFRICMIL, an advocate for whistleblowing as a means to address corruption and wrongdoing, regarded Adedayo’s actions as legitimate whistleblowing that Nigeria desperately needs at this time. The organization found it “immoral and unlawful” for the governor to employ intimidation tactics to silence a whistleblower exposing misconduct at the highest levels of governance.
In the wake of Adedayo’s disclosures, he was initially suspended as chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area for three months, then subsequently impeached. The governor’s threat that Adedayo would face consequences for making false allegations was fulfilled when the police arraigned him. AFRICMIL pointed out that these actions were part of an effort to suppress the whistleblower.
AFRICMIL deemed Adedayo’s ongoing victimization unacceptable and called on the governor to immediately halt further retaliation. The organization demanded Adedayo’s immediate reinstatement as the chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area and the withdrawal of the court case against him.
Additionally, AFRICMIL called upon anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the allegations contained in Adedayo’s petition in order to ascertain the truth.
The organization reiterated its commitment to seeking justice for whistleblowers who face adverse consequences for exposing wrongdoing in the country, asserting that whistleblowing is a form of freedom of expression that must be safeguarded.
