The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in Osun State has suspended the State Chairman, Prince Bello Adebayo for anti-party activities and alleged embezzlement of N34 million allowance for polling agents who worked for the party during the 2023 general election.

The allowance also covered the publicity of the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, during the election.

Adebayo’s suspension was conveyed by the party’s executives of his ward, Ward 12, Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State led by its Chairman, Hammed Sheriff who briefed newsmen on the development.

According to him, “our action for suspending Bello Adebayo was hinged on Article 19(1B)(2B) subsections 2,3,4 and 5. He carried out anti-party propaganda and his failure to attend Ward meetings about 10 times without cogent reason.”

This is just as the chairmen of the party across all local governments area of Osun State led by Raheem Taiwo-Ojo(Ede South) pass a vote of confidence on the LP Acting Chairman of Osun State, Chief Sussan Ojo as they dissociate themselves from ‘illegal’ suspension of the National Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Akingbade Oyelekan and Sussan Ojo by Bello Adebayo(ex-chairman).

The Acting Chairman, Chief Ojo alleged that N4 million that was released by LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi for publicity to Adebayo was not paid to the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council(LPPCC) and after the 2023 General election, N30 million meant for polling agents given to him was embezzled.

She explained that “Comrade Lane Fadahunsi who is the SW Coordinator of Big Tent and the Chairman of Media Committee of the LPPCC, Barrister Jimoh Babalola featured on both radio and TV stations marketing Peter Obi and canvassing for votes. The funds spent on this were not given by Adebayo (as it was promised) he took the intervention of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Spokesman Dr. Umar Tanko before he could release part of the money.

“Also, polling agents tasked with the responsibility of submitting Form EC8A after the elections were not compensated despite the fact that he was given N30M to pay polling unit agents that submitted Form EC8A. Now the leaders of LPPCC are being chased around by those who submitted these. Forms, while Bello had collected and cornered their funds.”

Meanwhile, Adebayo while reacting to the allegations, said, “There are no substantial excos forward 12, all executives in Osogbo local government areas are unhappy. Their tenure has expired because they didn’t even make the Congress which was held in May last year. So there is no substantial exco forward 12 and that is one of their failures.

“The only money sent to us then was 300,000 naira, the 300,000 Naira was sent to us by Chief Akinosun Tokun, so the evidence is there they can contact him, aside from that during the campaign January that was the Presidential campaign I don’t know what transpired then. They don’t have any locust standard to suspend any elected officers in Osun.” (New Telegraph)

•Labour party’s executives of Ward 12, Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State led by its Chairman, Hammed Sheriff in a press briefing