Daud Olatunji
The chairman of Ijebu East local government Area of Ogun State,Wale Adedayo has ruled out plans to withdraw the letters written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleging the missing of councils’ funds since 2019.
Adedayo who threw caution into the air following his daring move to challenge the alleged withholding the council funds by the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, said despite the apology tendered by his colleaques on his behalf, he remains resolute on the probe of the alleged misappropriation of the councils funds.
Speaking shortly after he was suspended by some councilors of his local government, Adedayo lamented the lack of progress made during his tenure.
Adedayo stated, “I am ashamed as a local government Chairman; we’ve achieved very little since taking office.
“Let’s not focus solely on federal allocation.”
He acknowledged the diversity of opinions within a democracy but reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for the interests of Ijebu East, the constituents who voted him into office.
Referring to claims of regular financial disbursements, Adedayo challenged the narrative.
He said “they claim to provide us funds, but we’re discussing federal allocation here, which pales in comparison to the local government’s regular inflow from the federal government.
“The reality is that we receive nothing; the funds don’t reach us. So, where is the money?” he questioned.
Taking a strong stance, Adedayo called on fellow local government chairmen who may be seeking additional resources.
He urged them to face their constituents and answer for the funds they’ve received: “If they’re requesting assistance, it means they’ve been receiving funds. Therefore, they must account for the money and its utilization.”
Adedayo firmly rejected calls to retract his statements, particularly in light of apologies issued on his behalf.
He clarified, “I haven’t issued any retraction, nor will I. The way things are being handled isn’t in line with my principles.
“Life is unpredictable; I’m not afraid. When we pass away, we’ll be questioned on how we managed our responsibilities.”
Highlighting the issue of the local government’s role, Adedayo dismissed comparisons to past administrations.
He explained that funds should be distributed directly to each local government based on factors such as population, land mass, and internal revenue generation.
He emphasized the importance of adhering to the constitutional mandate that governs the allocation process.
“When the money comes, it goes to each local government because it is specific.It is not the same amount that every local gets,based on population, land mass and sometimes IGR that the local government generates .
“Each local government should get its money directly, it is not the question of some people sitting in Abeokuta and saying we have done this with this and we have paid salaries with this, how about the remaining, what do you do with the remaining .
“The function of local government has been taken over by the state government that is Mr. Governor and is not done that is what I told them.
“The constitution states that once the money comes in ,it goes to each local government . You have no business paying staff of my local government. I should know the number of our staff .
” In fact, in one of our meetings a few days ago, the chairman of Ota(Ado-Odo/Ota) was telling the SSG that ‘I don’t even know the number of teachers in my local government ,why should that happen ?”
Responding to the allegations on behalf of Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, an aide, Adebowale Ojuri, dismissed claims of a conspiracy.
Ojuri clarified that the governor does not control the police and that the reasons behind the police presence are yet to be determined.
As the situation unfolds, Adedayo’s revelations have stirred discussions surrounding local government finances and the need for greater transparency and accountability.
The ongoing debate reflects the complexities of managing public funds at the grassroots level and underscores the importance of responsible governance.
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