In an unexpected development on Tuesday night, all 20 Local Government Chairmen in Ogun State converged on the Office of the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to beg for forgiveness.
The purpose behind this collective appeal was to extend an apology on behalf of Wale Adedayo, Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, who had accused the governor of withholding funds allocated to the local governments.
The LG Chairmen led by Babatunde Emilola-Gazal, the ALGON Chairman took an extraordinary step by prostrating themselves before Governor Abiodun while pleading for mercy.
A brief video clip capturing this meeting has rapidly gained traction online.
In the video, Babatunde Emilola-Gazal and his fellow council members, including Wale Adedayo, can be seen humbly requesting forgiveness on behalf of all the local government chairmen involved.
See video clip
Gazal said, “Your Excellency, we have come here to beg you as a father that you are, as a father of all in the state, we want you to forgive us.
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“Your Excellency, if you don’t forgive us, who do we run to? So, on behalf of all of us, I am tendering this apology and in particular, on behalf of Wale Adedayo,” Emilola-Gazal said, and subsequently prostrated alongside others, before the governor.
In response, Governor Abiodun asserted in his statement that he has consistently fulfilled his duties as governor with utmost sincerity.
It’s worth recalling that Adedayo had previously leveled accusations against the governor, claiming that he withheld allocations intended for the local governments.
Adedayo expressed his concern that over the past two years, the Local Government Chairmen were unable to carry out essential projects. He appealed to former Governor Olusegun Osoba to intervene and persuade Abiodun to ensure that the “statutory Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Ogun State” is distributed to them in accordance with the 1999 Constitution.
Additionally, the Council leader submitted a petition to both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), urging an investigation into allegations of the governor’s misuse of local government funds.
Adedayo’s petition, dated August 28, 2023, also accuses the governor of withholding the Ecological fund and other rightful entitlements from the local government chairmen. Furthermore, he claimed that Abiodun had not transferred any Federal allocation to the local government accounts over the past two years.
Part of his petition reads: “Revenue sources, which the local governments should benefit from have mostly been taken over by the State Government. Motor Parks and attendant dues which should go to each local government are being centrally managed by the State Government.
“Primary school administration and control have been taken over too. There are many others. But, what I crave is for you to assist in helping our people. Why have they taken over revenue sources of the local government? How do they want the grassroots to breathe?
“In Ijebu East Local Government Area, we are a complete rural section. Our people need roads, especially in the interior. They need water. The Health Centres are nothing to write home about. The primary schools are something else. It is a crying shame that, in 2023 some of our people still depend on water from the stream to drink!
“Be assured that I am readily available to answer any question about what I have written here,” he said.