The Oyo State House of Assembly has announced the sack of the Chairman, Irepo Local Government Area, Kisi, Mr Lateef Adediran.
The House made the announcement on Thursday following the presentation of the report of the Joint Committee on Local Government, Chieftancy Matters and State Honours and Public Accounts, Finance and Appropriation that investigated the allegation of “Running of Local Government with impunity” levelled against the Chairman.
The lawmakers noted that the accused Chairman was removed from office in line with Section 21 of the Local Government Law, 2001, as amended.
The House therefore directed the Vice Chairman to immediately assume the position of acting Chairman, while the leader of the House, Mr Busari Adegbenro, is to fill the position of the acting Vice Chairman
The report found the local government Chairman culpable of allegations of diversion of public funds meant for the purchase of a Toyota Camry 2016 model, purchase of a Lexus car for his office without approval and the purchase of a substandard Toyota Corolla for the office of the Head of Local Government Administration.
The Chairman, Mr Adediran, had been indicted by the Office of the Auditor-General for Local Government in the state and the report of the special investigation was submitted to the House.
The lawmakers also directed the Executive Arm of Government, through the ministries of Local Government and Chieftancy Matters and Justice to ensure that the sacked Chairman refunds a sum N4,616,800.00 to the coffers of the Irepo Local Government Area, being the difference between unreasonable N5.8m spent on replacement of covers of exercise books.
The leader of the Council, Busari Adegbenro, whose account was credited with the sum of N2,676,000,00 as deduction of party dues from salaries of political office holders from February, 2022 to March, 2023, was also directed to immediately refund the money to the coffers of the People’s Democratic Party, Irepo Local Government Area, and the evidence of payment be submitted to the House within one week.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency has equally been directed to further investigate the embattled Chairman.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
