By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The detention of Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo over his petition against Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has elicited reactions from concerned Nigerians who have called on the State Security Service (SSS) to immediately release him from detention.
One of the concerned Nigerians is a human rights activist /lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) who in a statement on Sunday asked Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun to go to court if he is aggrieved over the petition written against him by Wale Adedayo over Ogun State Local Government funds.
Adedayo is currently in detention if SSS over the petition written by him accusing Governor Abiodun of giving zero allocation to local governments in the state which hinders the chairmen from performing their electoral promises to the people.
Adedayo was invited to answer some questions over the petition only for the security agency to detain him.
The issue of proper accountability and how state governors have been taking local governments fund has dominated the media space for the past one week as dictated by Adedayo’s letter.
Below is full details of Falana’s statement:
SSS SHOULD RELEASE MR. WALE ADEDAYO FROM CUSTODY AND ADVISE GOVERNOR DAPO ABIODUN TO SUE FOR LIBEL
“Last week, the Chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government, Ogun State, Mr. Wale Adedayo accused the State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun of diverting the statutory allocations of the 20 local governments in the State. Shortly thereafter, the Council boss was invited by the Ogun State Command of the State Security Service (SSS). However, when he turned up for the invitation on 1st September 2023, he was asked to respond to the petition submitted to the Command by the State Government.
“In the said petition, it was alleged that Mr. Adedayo had instigated widespread acts of public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East Local Government. Even though the embattled Council boss denied the allegation of instigating acts of public disturbance, the State Security Service has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun
“Even though the Ogun State Government has denied the allegation of funds diversion, Governor Abiodun is advised to sue Mr. Wale Adedayo for libel in the Ogun State High Court.
In similar circumstances, two of his predecessors, the late Governor Olabisi Onabanjo had sued the National Concord newspaper for libel in the Ogun State High Court in 1981 while Governor Segun Osoba sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in the Ogun State High Court in 2001. Both Governors won the libel suits.
“Having regards to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, I am compelled to request the Ogun State Command of the SSS to release Mr. Adedayo from custody forthwith.”
