Twists and New Turns of the Ogun Lg Funds Diversion

Unexpected Turn of Events As Ogun Council Chairmen Confronted with Protests Regarding Fund Allocation Issues

In Ogun State, Nigeria, there has been a series of controversies and conflicts involving local government chairmen and allegations of fund diversion. Here’s a summary of the events:

1. Initial Allegations: One of the local government chairmen, Wale Adedayo of Ijebu East Local Government, accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting federal allocations meant for local governments. He alleged that since their assumption of office in 2021, there had been no federal allocation to local governments in the state, and various funds meant for local governments were being centralized by the state government.
2. Governor’s Response: Governor Abiodun denied the allegations and stated that his administration had been augmenting the funds allocated to local governments to help them meet their financial obligations. His economic team provided details of the funds provided to local councils.
3. Apology and Drama: A surprising turn of events occurred when the local government chairmen, led by the state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), prostrated before Governor Abiodun and begged for forgiveness. They apologized for the allegations, including those made by Wale Adedayo, who was also present at the meeting.
4. Suspension and Impeachment: Shortly after the apology, seven councilors from Wale Adedayo’s local government, Ijebu East, announced his suspension, citing allegations of maladministration and financial mismanagement. Adedayo was later impeached by five out of 11 councillors in his local government.
5. SSS Detention: After his suspension, Wale Adedayo was detained by the State Security Service (SSS) in Ogun State for three days over alleged incitement against the government. He claimed that he was detained based on false allegations of incitement.
6. Calls for Accountability: In response to the controversy, residents of Ijebu Ode Local Government and Yewa North Local Government demanded accountability from their respective chairmen, Babatunde Emilola-Gazal and Oluwole Ogunyomi. They asked for an account of the statutory allocations received by the councils in the last two years.
7. Open Letters: Concerned citizens and indigenes of the local government areas issued open letters to their chairmen, giving them 48-hour ultimatums to provide an account of how they managed the council funds.

The situation highlights the contentious issues surrounding local government funding and governance in Nigeria and the challenges faced by local government officials in managing resources and maintaining good governance.