Lagos Assembly Suspends LG Chairman Over Misappropriation Of Funds

Oloruntoba Oke

The Lagos State House of Assembly has suspended the chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government, Oloruntoba Oke for administrative incompetence and financial recklessness. 

The House also ordered the redeployment of the council-manager, treasurer and engineer. The Assembly, therefore, directed the Vice Chairman, Mr Usman Hamzat of the Council to take over immediately.

This followed the resolution of the House after taken the report of the five-man Ad-Hoc committee on the investigation of Ifako-Ijaye Local government.

According to the Committee Chairman, Rotimi Olowo, the investigation followed the petition of concerned residents of the council. 

The chairman revealed that despite getting loan and payment forthwith, the work done such as roads and construction of secretariat were not commensurate to the projects executed. It was also disclosed that the loan of N350 million taken in 2012 during Oke’s first term in office was not appropriately expended. 

The House pointed out that Oke also failed to abide by the administrative guidelines stipulated by the State Assembly in 2011. In his comment, the Deputy Majority Leader, Muyiwa Jimoh said, the error created was as a result of the bureaucracy in local government and failed to abide by the administrative guidelines set up by the House.

He, therefore, stated that “the council-manager, treasurer and engineers should also be affected.” Abiodun Tobun noted that, “from this report, we have observed the heads of the council were working at variance with the law of the council.

“The council supposed to work in compliance with the State government in making dividends of democracy available to the people,” Tobun said.

Bisi Yusuff explained that, “the recommendations of the committee will make some of those who feel untouchable to sit tight.” He added that as a member of the Committee and a former chairman of a council, “I’m in support of making one as a scapegoat to serve as a deterrent to others.”