… Says He Has Never Received A Kobo From Federal Allocation Since 2021
Adeyemi Adebanjo
The suspended Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government of Ogun State, Hon. Wale Adedayo has taken his case to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling on the anti-graft commission to launch a probe into why council areas in the state have been denied statutory federal allocations since 2021.
Adedayo, whose letter to a former governor of the state, Chief Segun Osoba wherein he raised a similar allegation generated unimaginable furore, in the instant petition also told the
Acting EFCC Chairman that aside from federal allocations, his council also never received a kobo from the SURE-P initiative despite billions of Naira made available to the Ogun State government under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun
According to him, former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration assisted the states and local government areas with what is today called palliatives. “They called it, SURE-P (then). The first sent to the 20 local governments in Ogun State was N2.5 billion. The second one was, N2.6 billion. The third was, N2.8 billion, while the fourth shortly before Buhari left office was N2.9 billion. Not a dime of these funds was released to ANY local government in Ogun State.
“The Ogun State Executive Committee of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) had a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, early this year. The Commissioner claimed that the 20 local governments were owing the Ogun State Government N17 billion, which they continue to deduct. But I know for a fact that my Ijebu East Local Government is NOT owing Abeokuta one Naira! Kindly use your good offices to verify this fact.”
Mr Adedayo’s petition is hereby reproduced verbatim below.
The Acting Chairman,
Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
Plot 301/302, Institution and Research Cadastral District, Jabi,
Abuja, Nigeria.
Mr. Chairman,
Your urgent intervention is sorely needed to convince the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, that the statutory Federal Allocation to local governments in Ogun State should be allowed to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution. Since we (Ogun State Local Government Chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been ZERO Federal Allocation to each local government. The 10% of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the Constitution also stipulated should go to the local governments has not been given since Abiodun got into office. You may want to deploy the instruments of your office to confirm the veracity of my claim as well.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari assisted the states and local government areas with what we call palliatives today. They called it, SURE-P. The first sent to the 20 local governments in Ogun State was N2.5 billion. The second one was, N2.6 billion. The third was, N2.8 billion, while the fourth shortly before Buhari left office was N2.9 billion. Not a dime of these funds was released to ANY local government in Ogun State. The Ogun State Executive Committee of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) had a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, early this year. The Commissioner claimed that the 20 local governments were owing the Ogun State Government N17 billion, which they continue to deduct. But I know for a fact that my Ijebu East Local Government is NOT owing Abeokuta one Naira! Kindly use your good offices to verify this fact.
We’ve also heard about Ecological Funds and others. These have developed wings too without trace. Certainly, the current one being packaged by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may likely follow the same course. And, we are the ones the people will abuse. I am the butt of jokes in my local government right now, with many saying one is incompetent. Meanwhile, the Federal Government regularly made these funds available, but it has NEVER been disbursed to us since we were sworn in.
Truly, denying local governments their due Federal Allocations in Ogun State began during the administration of former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. And, as it is happening today, it was based on a spurious claim of helping some local governments, who may not be able to fulfill their obligations to the people because of financial challenges. Thus, all the funds are regularly collected into a central purse from where salaries and other dues are paid. Whatever is left is often claimed by the state government as debts being paid by the local governments.
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 have 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!
Be assured that I am readily available to answer any question about what I have written here.
Thanks in appreciation of your quick response.
Yours in the service of the nation,
Hon. Wale Adedayo,
Chairman,
Ijebu East Local Government.
Eighteen-Eleven Media reports seven councillors of the local government led by their leader, Fasheyi Adesuji, from Itele Ward 7 had, amid tight security on Thursday morning, suspended the embattled council boss for three months over what they described as “maladministration and financial mismanagement”.
The lawmakers had listed about 15 financial infractions against the LG boss including using N8.2m to procure 20 tables and chairs for the primary schools as well as misappropriation of N35 million, among others.
Adedayo however described his purported suspension as a “hoax and one that was forced down the throat of the lawmakers having been allegedly baited with N1 million rach”.
He said, “The suspension or impeachment of a local government chairman ought to follow due process. The first stage is a letter to me about the so-called infractions.
“Of course, they stormed the Council secretariat with more than 100 armed policemen this morning along with thugs and agberos. They thought we were going to react violently as they had prepared. We are in a democracy. We’ll challenge them democratically.
“All the allegations are baseless and without foundation. They forcefully marched the Clerk of the House to Abeokuta yesterday along with the local government’s HOLGA. So, we knew what the governor was up to before the charade of this morning.
“Two of the councillors were led to the council at gunpoint. And immediately they finished, all of them were taken in a vehicle to Abeokuta. Of course, I was told that N1m was given to each person who signed. We are not bothered. Once the EFCC comes, the books of the local government can also be opened for them to see,” the statement concluded.
Eighteen-Eleven Media