ALGON petitions Buhari over alleged N5bn theft

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has called on President Muhamamdu Buhari to invoke his constitutional powers by directing relevant anti-corruption agencies to arrest and investigate Mr. Alabi Akolade David, Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State, for alleged misappropriation, diversion and money laundering of funds to the tune of over N5 billion belonging to the association. The call was contained in a petition by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of ALGON dated May 5, 2021 and addressed to President Buhari. An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Adeola Adedipe, who signed the petition, said Mr David “who parades himself as President of ALGON, is not qualified to be so by virtue of Section 5 of the ALGON’s Constitution. The said Mr Alabi Akolade David is not the chairman of any local government Area in Nigeria.

“Although, he is the Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), LCDAs are unfortunately not known to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is the current position of law, as laid down by the Supreme Court in AG., LAGOS STATE v. AG., FEDERATION (2004) 18 NWLR (Pt. 904) 1 and also attested to by an opinion written from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”

In the petition entitled:  ‘Re: Petition For An Immediate Investigation Of Mr Alabi Akolade David And Cronies For Misappropriation, Diversion And Money Laundering Of Funds Belonging To Association of Local Governments Of Nigeria (ALGON)’, the petitioner said: “It has become imperative to file this Petition, bearing in mind that the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), is a very sensitive body, which superintends over the affairs of the 774 constitutionally recognised local government areas, in Nigeria. As such, whoever holds the rudder to ALGON’s ship, should be of concern to all and sundry; especially, at the executive level.” The petitioner recalled that the removal of Mr David as President of AlGON was ratified on 30th May, 2020 during the General Assembly of the association. The petitioner said: “The General Assembly of ALGON, having removed Mr.Alabi Akolade David as President and inaugurated the Interim Management Committee (IMC), it came to our client as a rude shock that Mr. Alabi Akolade David still continues to hold himself out as the President of ALGON. By so doing, he continues to obstruct the IMC from executing its mandate, which includes the conduct of election for a substantive president.

“Our client believes that Mr Alabi Akolade David is doing so with his cronies in order to completely decimate the financial standing of ALGON. Thus, our attention was drawn to a petition written to EFCC by a group called Concerned Grassroots Government Advocates, who requested the probe of Mr  Alabi Akolade David and allies for opening an illegal bank account 2034749191 with First Bank, in the name of ALGON and diverted the sum of N5, 240, 516, 186. 21 into it.