The Ogun State Government has summoned the suspended Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Alhaji Wasiu Adewale, and the councillors who suspended him, to an emergency meeting scheduled for Friday.
The move follows reports that the council’s legislative arm suspended Adewale for three months over alleged financial mismanagement, insubordination, and disregard for authority.
Confirming the development in an interview with PUNCH Online on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, said, “The suspension story of the chairman is real, it is true, but we don’t yet know what happened. The Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has, however, called for a meeting tomorrow (Friday) to look into the whole issue and hear from both sides.”
During Thursday’s plenary, Musediq Asalu, representing Ota Ward 2, moved a motion accusing the chairman of negligence, insubordination, and financial misconduct.
Asalu stated that the council had, on at least four occasions, requested a comprehensive financial report in line with Section 52 of Part V of the Ogun State Local Government Law 2000 (as amended), but the chairman “willfully refused to submit the financial documents for legislative scrutiny, offering either excuses or no response each time it was requested.”
“This deliberate refusal to render an account of the local government’s financial operations is not only a breach of the law; it also raises serious suspicion of financial impropriety, administrative impunity, and abuse of office,” Asalu added.
He further accused Adewale of consistently ignoring council resolutions, invitations, and correspondence, which he said demonstrated “gross disrespect to the authority of the legislature and violated the doctrine of separation of powers.”
Following deliberations, the legislative council resolved to suspend Adewale for three months, pending the outcome of an investigation into the council’s finances and administrative practices.
The resolution directed the chairman to handover all government properties in his possession to the Head of Local Government Administration and barred him from accessing council funds or representing the local government during the suspension.
The council also appointed Vice Chairman Abosede Balogun as acting chairman to oversee the council’s affairs.
However, when contacted on Thursday, Adewale dismissed his suspension as “fake.” Attempts by PUNCH Online to reach him again on Friday were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone did not go through.
Advertisement
