Local government Chairmen in Ogun state, in a dramatic turn of events, besieged the office of the state’s governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday to seek his forgiveness over allegations of misappropriation and withholding of local government funds.
The LG Chairmen of all the 20 Local Government Areas in the state, led by Babatunde Emilola-Gazal, who is the ALGON Chairman, were seen prostrating before the governor while begging forgiveness on behalf of one of them, Wale Adebayo.
In a short video clip of the meeting shared online, Gazal said, “Your Excellency, we have come here to beg you as the father that you are, as the father of all in the state, we want you to forgive us.
“Your Excellency, if you don’t forgive us, who do we run to? So, on behalf of all of us, I am tendering this apology, and in particular, on behalf of Wale Adedayo,” Emilola-Gazal said, and subsequently prostrated alongside others before the governor.
Responding, Governor Abiodun declared in his remarks that he had always carried out his responsibilities as governor with “every sincerity of purpose.”
According to the Vanguard, Adedayo, who is the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, had accused the governor of withholding the LGs’ allocations.
Adedayo lamented that LG Chairmen had been unable to execute projects in the last two years and asked former Governor Olusegun Osoba to urgently wade in and convince Abiodun to allow “the statutory Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Ogun State to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution.”
The council boss also petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), calling for the governor’s investigation over the alleged diversion of local government funds.
According to him, Abiodun has not paid a dime to local government accounts as part of the federal allocation in the last two years.
Adedayo, in the petition dated August 28, 2023, also accused the governor of denying the local government chairmen the ecological fund and other entitlements due to them.
Part of the petition reads: “Revenue sources, which the local governments should benefit from, have mostly been taken over by the state government.” Motor parks and attendant dues, which should go to each local government, are being centrally managed by the state government. Primary school administration and control have been taken over too. There are many others. But what I crave is for you to assist in helping our people. Why have they taken over the revenue sources of the local government? How do they want the grassroots to breathe?
“In Ijebu East Local Government Area, we are a complete rural section. Our people need roads, especially in the interior. They need water. The health centers are nothing to write home about. The primary schools are something else. It is a crying shame that, in 2023, some of our people will still depend on water from the stream to drink!
“Be assured that I am readily available to answer any question about what I have written here,” he said.
