LG Funds Saga: Ogun Council Chairmen Prostrate, Beg Gov Abiodun

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – All out to curry the favour of Governor Dapo Abiodun for the timely release of their statutory monthly allocations, the Chairmen of Local Government Councils in Ogun State on Tuesday prostrated and distanced themselves from a petition written by their colleague and Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo.

Clearly penitent, the Chairmen, led by the ALGON Chairman, Babatunde Emilola-Gazal, stormed the governor’s office in Abeokuta, to beg for forgiveness with the ‘erring’ Council boss, Adedayo in attendance.

In a short clip of the meeting that went viral, the ALGON leader was seen begging for forgiveness on behalf of his colleagues and in particular, Adedayo. Emilola-Gazal was heard saying; “Your Excellency, we have come here to beg you as a father that you are, as a 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”.

Thereafter, the Emilola-Gazal-led delegation was seen prostrating before the governor, who noticeably held a straight face while requesting that they should all stand and resume their seats.

Responding to the Council Chairmen’s plea for pardon, Governor Abiodun stated that his responsibilities as the governor have always been carried out with “every sincerity of purpose” over the past four years in office.

The engagement between the Council Chairmen and Governor Abiodun came on the heels of a petition by the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo, accusing the governor of withholding the LGs’ allocations.

Lamenting that LG chairmen are unable to execute projects in the last two years, Adedayo sought the intervention of former Governor Olusegun Osoba to address the situation and convince Governor Abiodun to allow “the statutory Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Ogun State to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution as amended”.

Adedayo’s petition, which was sent to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), also called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate the Governor over the alleged diversion of local government funds in the last four years of his administration.

Elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Council Chairman had specifically accused Governor Abiodun of not releasing a dime to Local government accounts as Federal allocation in the last two years, as well as denying the local government chairmen access to the Ecological fund and other entitlements due to them.

His petition stated thus; “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 Centres are nothing to write home about. The primary schools are something else. It is a crying shame that, in 2023 some of our people still depend on water from the stream to drink!

Fully expressing his resolve to defend the petition, the unhappy Council Chairman stated thus; “Be assured that I am readily available to answer any question about what I have written here”.

However, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, on Tuesday, the governor had denied ever tampering with local government funds and wondered how augmenting the monthly funds allocated to the councils to enable them to meet their obligations amounted to hijacking their funds.

Governor Abiodun maintained that funds meant for the local governments are being handled by the constitutionally recognised Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC), adding that JAAC members always ensure the third tier of government gets the required allocations for optimal performance.