The Department of State Services has detained the suspended Chairman of Ijebu-East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo, who accused Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun of diverting statutory Federal Allocation due to the state’s local governments in the last two years.

It was exclusively gathered that the DSS has also failed to interrogate Mr Adedayo who arrived at their facility close to the Governor’s office, Oke-Imosan, Abeokuta, at about 11:45 am on Friday, following an invitation by the secret police.

Meanwhile, moments after Adedayo’s arrival at the DSS office, Governor Abiodun was seen driving into the DSS facility and later met with the suspended chairman at the operations desk.

“The DSS has detained Wale Adedayo just now. They asked us to leave, that they’re not ready to interrogate him yet. But they were the ones that kept calling him since morning to come to their office for interrogation, and he arrived at about 11:45 am, but he was not allowed to go in with his mobile phone” a family source told our correspondent on Friday.

An eyewitness and well-wisher, who simply identified himself as Jide, also said, “The DSS had just chased us away from their office here in Abeokuta close to the governor’s office. They said they’re not ready to investigate the chairman for now. But the governor was here hours ago, and he left around 4:00 pm, but he met with the chairman before he left.”

Adedayo in separate petitions to EFCC and ICPC on Tuesday called for the urgent intervention of the anti-graft agencies.

The council boss in the petition, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent on Tuesday also accused the governor of denying the local government chairmen of the Ecological fund and other entitlements due to them.

The petition reads in part, “Your urgent intervention is sorely needed to convince the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, that the statutory Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Ogun State should be allowed to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution.

“Since we (Ogun State Local Government Chairmen) got on board in 2021, it has been ZERO Federal Allocation to each local government. The 10 per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, which the Constitution also stipulated should go to the local governments has not been given since Abiodun got into office. You may want to deploy the instruments of your office to confirm the veracity of my claim as well.

“Former President Muhammadu Buhari assisted the states and Local Governments with what we call palliatives today. They called it, SURE-P. The first sent to the 20 local governments in Ogun State was N2.5 billion. The second one was, N2.6 billion.

“The third was, N2.8 billion, while the fourth shortly before Buhari left office was N2.9 billion. Not a dime of these funds was released to ANY local government in Ogun State.

“The Ogun State Executive Committee of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria had a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, early this year.

“The Commissioner claimed that the 20 local governments owe the Ogun State Government N17 billion, which they continue to deduct. But I know for a fact that my Ijebu East Local Government is NOT owing Abeokuta one Naira! Kindly use your good offices to verify this fact.

“We have also heard about Ecological funds and others. These have developed wings too without trace. It is certain that the current one being packaged by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may likely follow the same course.

“And, we are the ones the people will abuse. I am the butt of jokes in my local government right now, with many saying one is incompetent. Meanwhile, the Federal Government regularly made these funds available, but it has NEVER been disbursed to us since we were sworn in.

“Truly, denying local governments their due Federal Allocations in Ogun State began during the Administration of former Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. And, as it is happening today, it was based on a spurious claim of helping some local governments, who may not be able to fulfil their obligations to the people because of financial challenges.

“Thus, all the funds are regularly collected into a central purse from where salaries and other dues are paid. Whatever is left is often claimed by the State Government as debts being paid by the local governments.

“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 the revenue sources of the local government? How do they want the grassroots to breathe? In Ijebu East Local Government Area, we have a complete rural section. Our people need roads, especially in the interior. They need water. The Health Centres are nothing to write home about,” he said. (The PUNCH)

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