Local Government chairmen in Ogun State have prostrated before Governor Dapo Abiodun, seeking forgiveness over a comment made by their Ijebu East counterpart, Wale Adedayo, that Abiodun had diverted funds meant for the councils.
Recall that the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting the statutory Federal Allocation due to the state’s Local Governments in the last two years.
Adedayo, in a letter written to former Gvernor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, on Sunday, and obtained by our correspondent alleged that over N10.8bn fund of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme was also diverted by the governor.
The LG boss claimed that the 10 per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the constitution also stipulated should go to the local government has not been given since Abiodun reportedly got into office.
He attributed the diversion of funds as a key reason the All Progressives Congress lost some of the councils in the last general election.
According to him, the trend of denying local governments their due Federal Allocations in the State began during the Administration of former Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
However, at a meeting held with all the council chairmen yesterday, apologies were tendered to the governor.
In a video released by the governor’s media team, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Emilola Gazal, while speaking on behalf of his colleagues, pleaded with Abiodun to forgive them as a father that he is.
Gazal said: “We are here to beg you as a father that you are in this state. Your Excellency, please forgive us. If you don’t forgive us, who do we go to? So, on behalf of all of us, I’m tendering this apology, and in particular, on behalf of Wale Adedayo.”
After saying this, the council boss prostrated before the governor and others followed suit as they begged Abiodun to forgive them.
Responding, Abiodun said he had been operating with every iota of sincerity of purpose.
Abiodun said he had continued to ensure that “I am guided with all the promises I made in the course of my journey to the governor’s office.”
It was gathered that Adedayo himself was at the meeting, but it could not be immediately confirmed whether or not he also prostrated to beg Gov Abiodun, whom he had accused of diverting council funds.
Watch the video below:
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