Anxiety as KWHA concludes report on suspended council chairmen
...to refer recommendation to Gov Abdulrazaq
By Mumini AbdulKareem
There were concerns last night on what will be the fate of the 16 Local Government chairmen who were suspended over alleged misappropriation of council funds as the Kwara State House of Assembly committees inaugurated to investigate the matter have concluded its report, National Pilot has learnt.
A House source who was privy to the issue, confirmed the development, last night, adding that the committees will brief the state Assembly on the matter in very soon.
“The investigation has been concluded and the House will pass its resolution to the Executive Governor of the state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who has the power to take necessary action.
“We are not to implement but recommend. It is now left for the Governor who is the chief security and accounting officer of the state to make the final decision. He has the right to free all of them or refer them to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or any other body for that matter,” the source added.
The suspension of the Local Government chairmen is being investigated by the Joint House Committees on Ethics, Judicatory and Privileges and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs headed by Hon AbdulGafar Ayinla Ayilara and Hon AbdulGaniy Salaudeen.
Although the affected council bosses had challenged their dissolution in court, 12 later opted out of the suit after a meeting with the Chief of Staff, Dr Aminu Logun on behalf of Governor Abdulrazaq seeking for political solution to the matter.
The chairperson of Ilorin West, Hajia Amina Omodara, her Ilorin East counterpart, Engr. Mumini Lah, Muyiwa Oladipo (Kanu) of Irepodun and Yinka Dallas of Ekiti Local Government are the remaining four council bosses still in court challenging the dissolution.
The leadership of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) however rejected the move of 12 chairmen to seek political solution on the matter.
Speaking on the issue, last night, in a telephone chat, the PDP chairman, Engr. Kola Shittu said although the 12 chairmen have gone against the directives of the party on the issue, the party might not adopt punitive measures against them (for now) in order not to heat the polity.
The case involving the affected chairmen and the state government had suffered two postponements in the last one month due to inability of the judge to seat following activities of the yearly prison visit among others.
