The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Ogun state, Ladi Adebutu, has issued a call for the impeachment of Governor Dapo Abiodun. This request stems from allegations that Governor Abiodun diverted the statutory Federal Allocation meant for the state’s local governments over the past two years.
This controversy initially surfaced when Wale Adedayo, the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area in Ogun State, submitted petitions to both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), urging them to investigate the governor’s alleged misappropriation of local government funds. Adedayo also corresponded with former governor Olusegun Osoba, revealing that Abiodun had not made any payments from the Federal allocation to the local government accounts in the last two years.
In response to these serious allegations, Adebutu has urged members of the State House of Assembly to thoroughly investigate Governor Abiodun. If found guilty, Adebutu insists that the impeachment process should be initiated against the governor, citing a violation of the constitution and an impeachable offense as reasons for this action. This statement was conveyed by Adebutu’s media aide, Afolabi Orekoya, in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Adebutu said, “The local government chairman has also written a letter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly which we believe that the Speaker will not sweep under the carpet because he is one of the team members of the governor.
“This is purely an impeachable offense, if this is found to be true, it is an impeachable offense and we are really watching the House of Assembly members to see how they are going to follow this through and to see their action and steps they will take when this letter is brought to the floor of the House.
“Thank God we are not having the usual robber stamp House of Assembly in Ogun state now. We have very responsible, very committed members of PDP who are also in the House of Assembly now and I’m sure from what we have heard from our members this morning they are already taking steps to ensure that the Rule of Law is being followed on this matter.
“We believe that he will bring the letter out and read on the floor of the House and we believe the members of the House will do the needful”.
Adebutu noted that the local government chairman’s outburst has confirmed his allegation of diversion of N153 billion local government funds by Abiodun.
He also called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate Abiodun for allegedly embezzling local government funds.
Adebutu lamented that the Abiodun-led administration has rendered local government administration redundant and stifled development at the grassroots level.
“The money that was meant to be used by the local government to make the lives of the people better is being siphoned. If you go around Ogun state, all the trunk C roads, and local government roads are in terrible states.
“The local government chairmen are just sitting down warming the benches at their respective local governments. We are very glad that this is coming from a serving local government chairman, we have been vindicated.
“The truth has actually prevailed, We will follow this through, The party and my principal will follow this through the petitions he has written to EFCC and ICPC to ensure that they actually act on and these petitions are not swept under the carpet.
“We want EFCC and the ICPC who have received the letters from the Chairman of the Ijebu East local government area in Ogun state to act and beam their searchlight into what has happened to the N153b of Ogun state local government since the inception of Dapo Abiodun – led administration”, Adebutu said.