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• Restates Assembly’s oversight, legislative powers over LGs
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State House of Assembly has raised the alarm over what it described as the illegal handling and payment of billions of naira from Osun State local government funds by court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors.
Addressing a world press conference in Osogbo yesterday on behalf of the Assembly, the principal officers, led by the Speaker Adewale Egbedun warned of harsh legal consequences, declaring that all illegally handled funds would be recovered and those involved brought to book.
The Assembly accused a first-generation bank and former governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of being the arrowheads of the alleged infractions.
The House condemned and decried reports of billions of naira in Local Government funds allegedly paid out under the directive of Mr. Oyetola, listing the following payments:
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N25 million paid to each of the 30 illegal APC chairmen; N12 million paid to each of the 30 illegal APC vice chairmen; N10 million paid to each of the 332 APC councillors; N130 million paid to selected traditional rulers in Osun State; N13 billion paid as legal fees to Layonu & Co., lawyers representing the illegal chairmen and councillors, allegedly calculated as 15 per cent of deposited funds.
Reaffirming the illegality of the forceful occupation of council secretariats by tenure-expired politicians, the Assembly condemned what it described as the callousness of APC cronies and a minister, lamenting that “not one naira has been paid in the last 12 months as salaries by these illegal APC chairmen: primary school teachers – zero; nurses and other healthcare workers – zero; local government civil servants – zero; traditional rulers not favoured by Gboyega Oyetola – zero; retirees – zero.”
“Even more disturbing are reports before this House that plans are allegedly underway to disburse another Fifty Billion Naira (N50bn) of LG funds for political purposes, disguised as project funds, while governance at the grassroots continues to suffer,” the House warned. It declared that “it will not tolerate the diversion of public funds meant for salaries, healthcare, education, and community development into private hands to fund the election of a particular politician in Osun State.”
The House, which particularly frowned at what it described as the illegal meddlesomeness of the Minister of Blue Economy, strongly asserted that “Mr Oyetola, a nephew to President Tinubu, has no constitutional, statutory, or moral authority to control Local Government funds, issue instructions on LG finances, influence banks, or direct security agencies in respect of LG administration.” It added that “being related to the President confers no legal power to interfere in the affairs of Osun State Local Governments, as Nigeria is governed by laws, not family ties.
