Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has demanded the immediate release of Wale Adedayo, the Chairman of Ijebu East Local government, Ogun State, from the custody of the Department of State Services.
Adedayo has been kept in custody since Friday for accessing Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting the local government funds including allocations.
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Falana demanded the release in a statement personally signed and made available to newsmen on Sunday.
The Chairman had exposed Governor Abiodun in a letter written to a former governor and leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Olusegun Osoba.
The same petition was filed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Relates Offences Commission, ICPC.
Although the Stare Government had debunked claims by Adedayo, about 7 local government lawmakers suspended Adedayo barely 48 hours after the allegation was made public.
On Friday, upon invitation by the DSS, Adedayo was detained on the same day.
Reacting to the development, Mr Falana asked the state governor to rather go to court if he feels the suspended Council Chairman had committed libel against him.
Mr Falana cited instances of Mr Abiodun’s predecessors who had at different times filed libel suits against media organisations.
According to Falana, Adedayo was acussed of instigating widespread hatred against the Governor in his local government, and that Adedayo was being detained because he refused to withdraw the allegation against Abiodun.
Mr Falana’s statement reads, “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.”
