Past chairmen of local government council areas in Ogun State, on Monday, denied their involvement in the letter written by the impeached chairman of Ijebu East, Mr Wale Adedayo, alleging diversion of local government funds by the Dapo Abiodun-led administration in the state.
Hon. Babatunde Emiola-Gazal disclosed during a press conference held at the Olusegun Osoba Hall, NUJ, Abeokuta, that the past LG bosses knew absolutely nothing about the letter.
Emiola-Gazal flanked by the former chairman of Ifo Local Government, Hon. Mrs Kikelomo Delano, and other past chairmen said Adedayo acted alone, and that he was on a mission to pull others down.
Adedayo, Tribune Online learnt, granted an interview with an online medium, saying his former colleagues were in the know of the letter written and addressed to the former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba, accusing Governor Abiodun of diverting N10.8bn meant for the 20 LGAs in the state.
He said Adedayo wrote the letter without the input of any member of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), and that he dropped the letter on the Whatsapp platform of the group.
He said Adedayo was advised to suspend any further action on the letter but was shocked when the letter went viral on various social media platforms.
He said, “In the morning of Tuesday, 29th August 2023, Wale called to inform me that the Secretary to the State Government called and asked him why he wrote such a letter and sent it out to the media.
“He said he told him that it was ALGON that mandated him to do it.
“I also asked him why he did it, especially when the body had told him to cease further spread of the letter after sending it to Chief Osoba.
“He said it was a senior journalist colleague that spread it. He sought my support in case the State government enquires from me.
“Few minutes after the call, I got a call from the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, asking if we, ALGON, asked Wale to write the letter. I answered in the affirmative.
“I did this in the belief that, as the Chairman of Chairmen, I should protect him from the likely consequences of his action.”
Emilola-Gazal said that as a way to resolve the crisis, the local government chairmen met at Abeokuta South Local Government, Ake and decided to go beg the governor even though there were dissenting voices who believed that Adedayo should suffer alone.
He said “The meeting at Ake was to salvage the situation and not leave him alone in that period of trouble, it was not to ratify what he wrote. There was never a meeting where he was asked to write anything. Wale acted alone.”
When contacted, Adedayo said that he understood that many of the local government chairmen want to contest again for the same position, and they are scared that the Governor might block them, hence the need for the press briefing.
He described the content of the briefing as fabrication.
Adedayo said, “Gazal was the one who called to say that five chairmen had met and decided on a letter that should go to Osoba.
“He now added that they want me to fine-tune it, as the only journalist among them. I did justice to what he said as I also added mine. Yes, others, who apparently were not involved got scared when the letter became public. It was the reason for the Abeokuta South Local Government secretariat meeting.
“And, for the avoidance of doubt, it is not the first time the issue will come up. We’ve been on it for more than one year. But in fairness to Gazal, he would always plead patience, saying he would talk to the Commissioner for Finance on our behalf. We often spoke on phone, in person and also exchanged WhatsApp messages on it.
“Being akin to a coup, we were careful not to expand the base of those to be involved. Gazal made sure of that.
“The senior colleague, who leaked a copy of the letter to the media was one of those we have been talking to on how to go about getting funds since our discussions began.
“But, then, lessons are being learnt by the son of man in terms of practical politics.”
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L-R: Former chairmen of Ifo and Ijebu Ode Local Government Council Areas, Hon. Kikelomo Delano, Hon.Babatunde Emiola -Gazal respectively and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, on Monday, during a press conference addressed by past council chairmen in the State.
