…threatens to petition EFCC, ICPC
An anti-corruption group, Grassroots Accountability Project (GAP), has threatened lawsuit over alleged misappropriation of public funds at the Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State by the immediate past Chairman, Hon. Adetutu Elizabeth Oyesanya.
The group, in a petition signed by its Coordinator, Gboyega Sadare, disclosed that it has at its disposal incontrovertible evidence of monumental fraud, embezzlement of project funds, flawed procurement process and mismanagement of internally generated revenue allegedly committed at the local government within the last one year.
This came to light following investigation into the activities of the Ijebu East Local Government, alongside other local government administrations, by the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, led by Hon. Damilare Bello.
The House Committee which has previously probed the budget performance, revenue sources as well as personnel, overhead and capital costs of the Council, was said to have indicted Oyesanya for alleged financial impropriety and misappropriation of funds in its report.
The tenure of local government chairmen and councillors expired on July 26, 2024 having been elected and subsequently inaugurated by Governor Dapo Abiodun in July 2021.
In the petition addressed to Governor Dapo Abiodun and copied to the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, and the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, the anti-corruption group declared that the fraudulent activities perpetrated in the local government have undermined the effectiveness of local governance, deprived indigenes of essential services and perpetuated poverty at the grassroots level.
Sadare added that the former Chairman failed to properly utilise the monies received into the coffers of the local government, saying the projects she reportedly executed were not commensurate with the allocations.
Sadare explained that over N1billion accrued to the Ijebu East Local Government since her assumption of office, but nothing on ground significantly showed that such huge funds were received.
According to him, the immediate past Chairman failed to enhance grassroots development and promote the well-being and welfare of the people in line with the ISEYA Agenda of the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration.
He stated that the anti-corruption group was aware that the former Chairman was desperately lobbying to overturn the indictment against her in view of the forthcoming local government elections.
Sadare said his group was pleased that the Assembly Committee did not clear Oyesanya of the corruption allegations despite mounting pressure from some quarters, insisting that it would not hesitate to take further legal steps on the matter.
He vowed that if nothing was done to address the issue, the group will not hesitate to lodge complaint with the anti-graft agencies, notably the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
The petition partly read, “We request that you use your good offices to investigate and prosecute corrupt practices perpetrated in Ijebu East Local Government under the watch of Hon. Adetutu Elizabeth Oyesanya, especially within the last one year.
“Since her assumption of office, we respectfully invite you to note that several capital projects claimed to have been executed by the Oyesanya Administration were either non-existent or corruption-laden. The monies/allocations that accrued to the Local Government seemed to have been used for personal and inappropriate means.
“All the good works done by Mr. Wale Adedayo in Ijebu East have been rubbished. The Oyesanya Administration is perceived as worse than its predecessor. People of the local government have continued to express serious concerns because the dividends of democracy at the state level under the Governor Dapo Abiodun Administration have not trickled down to the grassroots.
“Contrary to claims that she executed nine borehole projects across the wards of Ijebu East, only four were actually drilled. Also, the Ogbere Bridge which was constructed on paper with the sum of N30.5million was a disappointing shoddy job. Based on our findings, the project is not worth the quoted contract sum.
“The construction and furnishing of Orita J4 Health Centre by the Oyesanya Administration put at N18million is fraudulently suspicious; ditto the patching of Itamogiri/Atoyo Road executed at the sum of N14.8million. In addition, the renovation of Atoyo Health Centre and Ojelana Health Centre, both which are over N10million, needs to be thoroughly investigated. Same with the construction and backfilling of culverts at Itako and Ajebandele which N6million was released for.”
“We have it on good authority that the Ogun State House of Assembly invited Hon. Adetutu Elizabeth Oyesanya for questioning over the plethora of corruption allegedly committed by her administration. She failed to provide any satisfactory explanation about the local government finances and projects executed under her watch. However, we are happy that the House which has rightly exercised its oversight functions, has yet to clear the former Chairman on the misappropriation of public funds.
“The Grassroots Accountability Project (GAP) hereby requests your agency to investigate these allegations, recover misappropriated funds and hold those found culpable and complicit accountable. We hope that measures would be put in place to prevent future occurrences of these mindless fraudulent activities in our local government system.”
It will be recalled that Mrs. Oyesanya took over the affairs of the Ijebu East Local Government following the impeachment of former Chairman, Mr. Wale Adedayo, in September 2023. She served out the three-year tenure in July 2024 and is believed to be seeking re-election in the local government elections scheduled for November 16.
