Ogun Govt Summons Suspended Ado-Odo/Ota Chairman, Councillors Over Financial Misconduct Allegations

The Ogun State Government has summoned Alhaji Wasiu Adewale, the embattled Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, alongside councillors who recently suspended him, to an emergency meeting on Friday to address the deepening leadership crisis in the council.

Adewale was suspended for three months by the legislative council on Thursday over allegations of financial misappropriation, insubordination, and disregard for constituted authority.

Confirming the development, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, said the government was aware of the matter and had called both parties for a fact-finding session.

“The suspension story of the chairman is real, but we don’t yet know what happened. The Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has called for a meeting tomorrow (Friday) to look into the whole issue and hear from both sides,” Akinlesi told PUNCH Online.

During Thursday’s plenary, Musediq Asalu, councillor representing Ota Ward 2, moved a motion accusing Adewale of persistent negligence, insubordination, and financial misconduct.

Asalu alleged that, on at least four occasions, the council had demanded a detailed breakdown of the local government’s income and expenditure as required under Section 52 of Part V of the Ogun State Local Government Law 2000 (as amended) requests the chairman allegedly ignored.

“This deliberate refusal to render an account of the local government’s financial operations is not only a breach of the law; it also raises serious suspicion of financial impropriety, administrative impunity, and abuse of office,” Asalu said.

Following deliberations, the council resolved to suspend Adewale for three months pending the conclusion of investigations into the council’s financial and administrative activities.

The motion also directed the chairman to hand over all government properties in his possession to the Head of Local Government Administration, barring him from accessing council accounts or performing official duties during the suspension.

The Vice Chairman, Abosede Balogun, was appointed acting chairman in the interim.

However, Adewale dismissed his suspension as “fake” when contacted on Thursday, insisting that the move had no legal backing. Attempts to reach him for further comment on Friday were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone line did not connect.

The state government’s intervention comes amid growing concerns over internal crises in several local councils across Ogun, with stakeholders urging transparency and accountability in grassroots governance.