These are not the best of times for the chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon. Julius Oloro, as he faces impeachment from the council’s legislative arm.
In a letter of notice of impeachment titled: Corruption and Diversion of Public Funds – Impeachment Notice, served on the chairman dated Tuesday, 24 November, 2020, Oloro is accused of several financial misdemeanors which are impeachable offences.
According to the impeachment letter, the councillors took the decision during their plenary which took place on Tuesday, 24 November, 2020.
The Impeachment Notice letter was signed by the following councillors: Wale Saidu, Council Leader; Olatunji Kogbodoku, Deputy Leader; Olumide Akinlade, Majority Leader; Gbenga Opebi, Chief Whip; Iyanda Kazeem, Deputy Majority Leader; and Jemilat Badiru, Deputy Chief Whip.
Prominent political leaders in the state including the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa; the member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Abiodun Faleke; the two representatives of Ikeja in the state House of Assembly: Folajimi Muhammad and Adedamola Richard Kasumu; the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Babatunde Balogun; the state Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr Wale Ahmed; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Tayo Ayinde; and Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson have received copies of the notice.
According to the councillors, Oloro deserved to be impeached because: (1) he violated the Code of Conduct Bureau rules; and (2) embezzlement and diversion of public funds.
We learnt further that Oloro committed the following offences:
(a) conversion of public funds for the construction of a sprawling mansion on Omotunde Akinola Street in Omole Estate Phase 1, Ikeja
(b) diversion of public funds to build a house in Moshood Road, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State
(c) diversion of public funds to erect an event centre in Ikere Ekiti
(d) diversion of public funds to put up a chalet on FUTA Road, South Gate, Akure
(e) diversion of public funds to build yet another property in Ikere Ekiti presently under construction
(f) diversion of public funds to build another house on Fayanju Street, off Osho Street, Ikere Ekiti
(g) diversion of public funds to construct a hostel at Oye Ekiti.
(h) continuous refusal to respond to Legislative querries
(I) failure to provide infrastructure for the development of the council
The councillors gave the council chairman seven days to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
Already, the state government had waded into the matter. This newspaper gathered that the chairman and the councillors were invited by the Public Accounts Committee on Local Government on Thursday, 29 November, 2020 to present their cases while they have also been invited by the state Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs for the same purpose.
Efforts by THE WITNESS to reach the council chairman for his angle to the allegations proved futile as calls and text messages placed across to his mobile phone were not responded to as at press time.
Below is the Impeachment letter and the buildings linked to the Chairman.
- Story by: The Gazelle News
