The Ogun State Government has summoned the Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Alhaji Wasiu Adewale, and members of the legislative council who recently suspended him, to an emergency meeting scheduled for Friday.
This follows the three-month suspension slammed on the council chairman by the lawmakers over alleged financial misappropriation, insubordination, and refusal to provide financial records for scrutiny.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Thursday.
He said, “The suspension story of the chairman is real, it is true, but we do not yet have full details. The Honourable Commissioner has called for a meeting tomorrow (Friday) to hear from both sides and address the matter.”
During Thursday’s plenary, a councillor representing Ota Ward 2, Musediq Asalu, moved the motion for Adewale’s suspension, accusing the chairman of repeatedly ignoring legislative requests for a breakdown of income and expenditure of the local government.
According to Asalu, “The council, on at least four occasions, formally requested the chairman to present the financial records of the local government in line with Section 52 of Part V of the Ogun State Local Government Law 2000 (as amended). He failed to comply each time, either by giving excuses or offering no response.”
He further alleged that the chairman’s refusal to provide the documents raised concerns about “financial impropriety and administrative impunity.”
The council then resolved that Adewale step aside for three months pending the outcome of an investigation.
The lawmakers directed that he hand over government property in his custody to the Head of Local Government Administration and abstain from official duties.
The Vice Chairman, Abosede Balogun, was asked to assume office in acting capacity.
However, Adewale dismissed the suspension when contacted, describing it as “unfounded”.
