Image caption: Governor Makinde
Ogo-Oluwa LG: Legislators write Makinde, OYACA, others over diversion of palliatives, relief items
Khalid ABRAHAM
Legislators in Ogo-Oluwa local government area of Oyo state have petitioned the Oyo state governor Engr Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) over alleged misappropriation of funds, diversion of palliatives for sales among other heist by the council boss, Mr. Seun Ojo.
The petition, dated January 8, 2024, and also sent to the Oyo State House of Assembly, the Oyo state commissioners for local government and chieftaincy matters as well as of agriculture, the Chief of Staff (COS) to the governor and the media, was received and acknowledged by the House of Assembly, COS and OYACA on January 10.
Titled, “Situation report on Hon Seun Ojo: Scandalous behaviour and activities since the beginning of this administration in 2021 till date in Ogo-Oluwa local government,” and signed by six legislators including Honourables Taiwo Samuel Olurinde (Deputy Leader), Adegboyega Julius Ola, Olamilekan Sunday Taiwo, Ayotunde Okunlade, Adekola Abraham A., and Oyebamiji Waheed Oyewumi, listed a litany of weighty misconducts against the chairman and want him investigated by the various authorities.
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The petition accused the council boss who is seeking a re-run in the forthcoming local government election in April of appropriation of house mace, lease of council’s heavy equipment (bulldozer, grader and excavator) on a private arrangement, sale of palliatives from Oyo state government, diversion and sale of relief materials awarded the council by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and forceful deduction of ten percent from monthly wages of councillors and appointed functionaries of government.
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Others are unapproved spending of stabilization fund of the council (put at N50 million), starving of Ogo-Oluwa West LCDA Odo-Oba of statutory fund, appropriation of stipends of adhoc staff and sale of ten laptops and generating sets given to the council by the governor for party membership registration.
“Mace, which is the legal symbol of any legislative arm both in the local, state and national to perform their legal right, without it all activities of the House is null and void, but we the legislative in Ogo-Oluwa hardly sit for one or two time since the beginning of the administration because Hon. Seun Ojo the so call Chairman of the Local Government in collaboration with the Leader of the House had took away this legal symbol (mace) many years ago, we the lover of the administration of our amiable governor had tried all our efforts to redeem the situation we met ourselves but the head of our Local Government Hon. Seun Ojo is a powerful man which made all our efforts to be in vain.”
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On illegal leasing of local government equipment, it’s submitted, “It was about two years that Hon. Seun Ojo and his people had took away the excavator which belong to the Local Government, until today, we have never sight our eyes on it again. We first believe that it was been used for Revenue Generation for the Local Government but when we verify we discovered that no kobo was remitted to the purse of the Local Government till today.”
On palliatives, the aggrieved councillors affirmed, “The good aim of our leader, the Governor of Oyo State is to better the lot of poor people in our society but this aim was been abortive by Hon. Seun Ojo because the palliative supply to Ogo-Oluwa to distribute to the poor, some of it was distributed centimentally while larger part of it was been rebagged and sold to one unknown person by Hon. Seun Ojo to better his own pocket, this is highly inhuman.”
Furthermore, “NEMA relieve materials, this is the materials been released to all Local Government from Federal Government as a relieve to those that involved in one of two disaster few of it was distributed but larger part was been sold by Hon. Seun Ojo.”
Regarding the ten percent heist, it is revealed, “This ten percent been removed in the salary of both councillors and all other appointed Members does not used for the purpose but where was it, in the pocket of Hon. Seun Ojo, this is a bad behavior.”
On mismanagement of adhoc staff, it is stated, “The council had 142 adhoc staff meant to be recruited from all the wards. The Chairman cornered 42, and from the 100 remained he included his family members so some wards do not have or have one or two, something that ought to benefit everybody. It was part of reason he with leader of the House Hon. John Gbenro Atanda seized the mace because we want to screen the so call adhoc staff.”
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Concluding the petition, the legislators asserted, “All the points been mentioned above has an evidences to prove it. But not only that, The said Hon. Seun Ojo is a man of questionable character whom has been alleged of misconduct and mismanagement of public fund many times since the beginning of this administration by spending Local Government stabilization without approval.
“The percentage of the allocation meant for the L. C.D.A Odo-Oba been spent by Hon. Seun Ojo, all this had been reported to appropriate quarters but nothing forth coming on it.
“Therefore we the Hon. Councillors Ogo Oluwa beg our amiable Leaders, the Oyo State House of Assembly, the gentlemen of Press in Oyo State and Nigeria in general, the people that matters in our society to please rise up immediately to come to our aids in Ogo Oluwa before this menace become epidemic in our society.”
It is added, “We are not allowed to sit but the Chairman pocketed our sitting allowance.”
A concerned citizen in the know says, “We appeal to all the aforementioned agencies and authorities to embrace justice on the matter to avert continual government of impunity in Ogo-Oluwa as this is the yearning of the whole council citizens.”
