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The chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo, who had been suspended, has now faced impeachment.
Councillors impeached him on charges of alleged financial misappropriation and the diversion of council funds, among other accusations leveled against him.
This information was conveyed in a letter signed by Fasheyi Akindele, the leader of Ijebu East Local Government.
Following numerous invitations from the House, which had reportedly been disregarded in the past, Adedayo finally appeared before the legislative council on Thursday as the councillors persisted in their investigation of the chairman.
The suspended chairman reportedly confessed before the entire assembly of 11 councillors that he redirected federal allocations allocated to the council by the state government for purposes not authorized by the state government.
Furthermore, it is alleged that he admitted to utilizing council funds up to August 2023, even though the budget had only been approved until March 2023, which is in violation of the applicable laws.
Adedayo also disclosed that he used N5.2 million to produce 20 pieces of chairs and tables, instead of the approved 290 chairs intended by the state government.
Regarding the issue of unauthorized levies and stickers imposed on commercial transport operators in the local government, Adedayo claimed that he believed the house had passed a bill in support of this. However, Akindele reminded him that for a bill to be valid, it would have required joint approval from both the leader of the house and the council chairman.
He claimed that the chairman had violated the laws of the land, particularly the Ogun State Local Government Laws of 2006, by committing severe impeachable offenses.
Following approximately three hours of discussion, a vote on the chairman’s impeachment was conducted. Five councillors supported his impeachment, four opposed it, and one member abstained.
Consequently, the leader of the house officially declared Adedayo as removed from his position as the chairman of Ijebu East LG.
However, in his response, the ousted chairman asserted that the councillors were merely following a predetermined script.
“I informed them earlier today that they were merely following a script authored by individuals in Abeokuta. All the pertinent documents regarding the allegations against me are currently in our office. However, I am aware that Mr. Governor is displeased with our decision to make public the details of how the federal allocation, designated for the Ijebu East Local Government, has been utilized,” he stated.
“I have fulfilled my responsibility as a member of Afenifere by apprising our Leader of the reasons behind our limited progress since assuming office. The remainder lies within the jurisdiction of the court to determine,” Adedayo concluded.
