IBADAN, Nigeria – Oyo State’s former Local Government Chairmen and Councillors, numbering 796, have accused Governor Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State House of Assembly of engaging in a “witch hunt” against them.
The allegations come as the officials demand the payment of outstanding salaries and allowances, amounting to N3,374,889,425.60.
This issue traces back to May 7, 2021, when the Supreme Court ordered the Oyo State Government to pay the ex-council chiefs.
They were found to have been unlawfully terminated from their positions by Governor Makinde on May 29, 2019.
The Court ruled that they should be paid their salaries and allowances for the three years they should have served.
Despite agreeing to pay N4,874,889,425.60 and initially releasing N1.5 billion, the Oyo State Government still owes the ex-council chiefs a balance of N3,374,889,425.60.
The Court of Appeal confirmed this in a recent hearing.
In a strongly-worded statement released on Friday, August 25, 2023, three of the affected ex-council chiefs – Ayodeji Abass Aleshinloye, Bashorun Bosun Ajuwon, and Oluyinka Jesutoye – claimed that recent actions by the Oyo State House of Assembly, which linked them to alleged fraud, were tactics designed to force them into abandoning their rightful claims.
“Our initial reaction was to ignore this ‘awada kerikeri’ (drama) from a House of Assembly which does not know the fundamental rules of its own existence,” the statement read.
“However, for the benefit of the great citizens of Oyo State, we hereby state our side of the story.”
They added that the House of Assembly had never invited them regarding any investigation, calling the Assembly’s allegations “phantom fraud claims.”
The ex-council chiefs emphasized the legitimacy of their demands, saying, “The sum of N3,374,889,425.60, which arose from the judgment of the Supreme Court, is our legitimate earnings. As of date, we have lost 26 of our members whose children are crying to the conscience of His Excellency for justice.”
Pointing out the lack of transparency in allocating state funds, the officials stated, “Recently, His Excellency purchased SUVs for various people including Fuji musicians, but the Oyo State House of Assembly is blind to any fraud in respect of this.”
The affected individuals called on Governor Makinde to heed his conscience and said they have faith in “Almighty God and the rule of law.”
Neither the governor’s office nor the House of Assembly has yet to respond to the allegations made by the ex-council chiefs.
