Police arraigns LG chair who accused Gov. Abiodun of fund diversion

The embattled former Ijebu East local government chairman, Wale Adedayo, has been arraigned in court on a two-count charge, following a petition filed by the Ogun state government.

Recall, Adedayo had accused the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, of diverting the statutory federal funding allotted to the state’s 20 LGAs. He had also filed a petition with the EFCC requesting that Abiodun be investigated for the claims.

Blueprint had reported that the impeached local government chairman was arrested by the police, Monday over the petition titled “Petition against Wale Adedayo’s deliberate circulation of falsehood, false report to government, threat to life and interference with the exercise of executive function,” which was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi.

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The two-count charge read: “That you Hon. Wale Adedayo ‘m’ on the 27th August 2023 at Abeokuta in the Abeokuta Magisterial District did unlawfully publish circular to the public, a letter addressed to the former governor of Ogun state and elder-stateman, Aremo Olusegun Osoba ‘m’ in which you accused the present governor of Ogun state: Prince Dapo Abiodun ‘m’ of hijacking local government funds which you knew was false allegation and likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace, knowing or having reason to believe that such statement is a rumour and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 59(1) of Criminal Code laws of Ogun state, 2006.

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“That you Hon. Wale Adedayo ‘m’ on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District did unlawfully publish the circular to the public, a letter addressed to the former Governor of Ogun State and Elder Stateman, Aremo Olusegun Osoba ‘m’ in which you accused the present governor of Ogun state; Prince Dapo Abiodun ‘m’ of hijacking local government funds (ten percent (10%) of the state Internally Generated Revenue which the Constitution stipulates should go to the Local Government(s) since May 2019 which you knew was a false allegation and likely to injure the reputation of the governor by exposing him to hatred, contempt or ridicule or to damage him in the discharge of his office and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 375 of Criminal Code laws of Ogun state, 2006.”

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Kayode Akinsola, the defendant’s counsel, filed for bail on behalf of the accused, claiming that the alleged charges are bailable while Inspector Olaide Rawlings, the prosecutor, did not object to the bail application. (Blueprint)