The Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Hon. Adewale Lawal, has been suspended from office by the council’s legislative arm over allegations of financial impropriety and abuse of office.
The motion for his suspension was moved by the councillor representing Ota Ward 2, Hon. Asalu Aina, and seconded by the councillor representing Agbara Ward.
Aina, in the motion, said the council chairman was suspended for a period of three months pending the completion of a thorough investigation into the financial and administrative management of the council.
The motion stated that the council chairman failed to respond to all correspondence forwarded to his office regarding the financial records of the local government.
Aina said the deliberate refusal of the suspended chairman to render an account of the local government’s financial operations was not only a breach of the law.
He said the action raised suspicions of financial impropriety, administrative impunity, and abuse of office.
‘This legislative council has officially requested the income and expenditure account of the local government severally, in accordance with Chapter 52, Part 5 of the Ogun State Local Government Law 2000 as amended.
‘Despite these repeated requests, the chairman has wilfully refused to submit the financial records for legislative scrutiny.
‘This deliberate refusal to render an account of the local government’s financial operations is not only a breach of the law. The chairman has consistently disregarded resolutions, invitations, and correspondence from the legislative council, thereby showing gross disrespect to the authority of the legislature and violating the doctrine of separation of powers that guarantees checks and balances within the local government system,’ the lawmaker stated.
The legislative council directed the suspended chairman to hand over all council properties in his possession to the Head of Administration.