Fraud: Allegation Against Me Over My Boss Arrest Untrue, Baseless—Acting Ifedore LG Chair

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

The acting chairman, Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state, Oluwasogo Ajikiola has described as untrue and baseless, the allegation that he was behind the arrest of the suspended chairman of the council, Alex Oladimeji over alleged misappropriation of public funds.

Recall that the Ondo state House of Assembly in 2021 suspended Oladimeji over series of allegations leveled against him and directed the Vice Chairman Ajikiola, to act in his place.

Subsequently, Oladimeji, was reportedly invited by the Anti-Graft Special Fraud Unit, Alagbon, Lagos, to clear his name over involvement in alleged misappropriation of public funds among other offences.

Oladimeji was said to have converted about N850,000 monthly salary of ad-hoc staffers to his personal use.

He was also alleged of converting a sum of N2, 250,000 received from the state government to his personal use. The money was the local government’s share from the Land Use Charge collected by the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service.

Meanwhile, Oladimeji fingered his Ajikiola of being the brain behind his ordeal.

But, Ajikiola while reacting in a statement he personally signed, however, said “I write to react and debunk to the allegations from the suspended Chairman of Ifedore Local government, Engr . Alex Oladimeji that I am behind his recent invitation by the police over misappropriation of funds.

“It is in the public domain that in November, 2021 , Ondo state House of Assembly suspended him from office as the chairman of Ifedore Local government for a period of three months (3months) and subsequently directed me to act as the chairman of the local government.

“It is also a known fact that the so – called petition in the possession of the police was not written by me or my subordinates.

“It will be a thing of interest to inform you that, I was also invited by the police .

“I want to state it here that there wasn’t anytime, that I offered any of the civil servants huge money as mentioned by Alex Oladimeji. The relationship between myself and all the members of staff of the local government is cordial and as well intact.

“Even the one written to the House of Assembly that calls for his probe was not from me.

“Engr. Alex Oladimeji is the Architect of his own problem. He should examined himself  and he should not  draw my name to the issues , I knew nothing about.

“It is laughable for Oladimeji to have dropped the revered name of our leader and mentor, Engr . Ade Adetimehin , APC Chairman in the state as one of those behind his ordeal.

“Since, I have been in the Acting capacity, I have never lobbied or worked against his coming back as the chairman of Ifedore Local government.

“Engr. Alex Oladimeji should desist from malign my name and that of the leaders of our party.”