Ogun LG Fund Diversion: Two Council Chairmen Given Ultimatum To Account For Allocation

Residents of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area and Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State have given their council chairmen, Emilola-Gazal, and Oluwole Ogunyomi, respectively, a 48-hour ultimatum to give an account of allocations they have received since assumption of office in 2021.

Naija News reports that the development is a sequel to the impeachment of the chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, who accused the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, of diverting statutory local government funds.

Recall that Adedayo had written to a former governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to intervene in the alleged diversion of local government funds by Abiodun.

In the letter, he said Adedayo said, “Since we (local government chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been zero federal allocation to each local government.”  

The Ogun State has, however, denied the allegation saying there was nothing of such, and instead, the state government augmented the local government funds.

However, in a new twist, residents, under the aegis of Yewa North Patriotic Forum,  and “Concerned Citizens”, in open letters, are requesting their chairmen, Ogunyomi and Gazal,  to account for the local government council allocation for two years or face protests against them.

The notice from the “Concerned Citizens”, reads, “Gazal must go. Explain to the Ijebus what you have done with the collected federal allocations, according to your claim. You are hereby given 48 hours to furnish the Ijebus of how you spent the allocations. Failing to do this will lead to protests within the local government by ‘concerned citizens’.”

Similarly, in an open letter signed by Vice President II, Yewa North Patriotic Forum, Damilola Elegbede, indigenes recalled that Ogunyomi and his colleagues debunked Adedayo’s allegations that there was no fund diversion.

They said if that be the situation, he should explain how he had been spending the funds he received monthly from Abuja since it had been confirmed that Governor Abiodun did not seize council funds.

“If the 48-hour notice for our response is not complied with, we shall mobilise the good people of the local government to your office in a peaceful protest,” the group said.

However, in a swift reaction to the request by the aggrieved resident, both Ogunyomi and Gazel have accepted the challenge to provide how funds were spent in the two years from the allocations they received.

But Gazel told Daily Trust that he was sure the action was a sponsored one against him.

“Giving an account is the easiest thing for me to do, but nobody should give me an ultimatum. When it is time, we shall come out and explain things.

“But let me say that this has been orchestrated by some persons within the local government,” Gazal added.