By Kamil Opeyemi
Councillors of Ijebu East Local Government area of Ogun State, on Thursday, impeached the embattled chairman of the council, Mr. Wale Adedayo, over allegations of financial misappropriation.
Adedayo had earlier been suspended after he authoed petition where he accused governor Dapo Abiodun over alleged diversion of the revenue aiiocation to local government area of the state.
Abiodun had denied the allegation.
Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Fasheyi Akindele, in a statement on Thursday, said Adedayo was impeached after he appeared before the councillors, following an invitation extended to him over allegations of fund mismanagement
According to Akindele, after series of invitations by the House, which were ignored in the past, Adedayo eventually appeared before the legislative council as the councillors continued their probe of the chairman.
“The suspended Chairman owned up before the full house of 11 councillors that he diverted federal allocations sent to the Council by the State Government and used them for purposes other than what the State Government approved.
“Adedayo also agreed that he spent the Council funds till August 2023, even when the budget was yet to be approved, whereas the laws only allow him to spend till March 2023.
“Adedayo also opened up that he used N5.2 million to produce 20 pieces of chairs and tables instead of the 290 chairs that the money was meant for as approved by the state government.
“On the issue of illegal levies and stickers to commercial transport operators in the Local government, Adedayo said he thought the House had passed the Bill to that effect, but the Leader of the House reminded him that a bill, if passed by the House, would have been jointly signed by the Leader of the House and the Council Chairman.
“That the chairman has run foul of the laws of the land, specifically the Ogun State Local Government Laws 2006 and committed serious impeachable offences was therefore established.
“After about three hours of deliberation, the impeachment of the Chairman was put to votes. Five councillors voted for his impeachment, four voted against, with one abstention
“Therefore, the Leader of the House pronounced Mr. Wale Adedayo impeached as the Chairman of Ijebu East LG,” lthe statement said.