Oyo House of Assembly has reinstated the Vice Chairman of Ona-Ara Local Government, Kunle Balogun who was suspended for alleged gross misconduct.
This decision was made today at the plenary.
The motion for the reinstatement was moved by the Chairman House Committee on Local Government, Hon. Akintunde Olajide while he was reading the committee report.
The report of the committee is reproduced below:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CHIEFTAINCY MATTERS AND STATE HONOURS THAT INVESTIGATED PETITION AGAINST THE VICE-CHAIRMAN ONA-ARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT MR.
KUNLE BALOGUN OVER GROSS MISCONDUCT AND ANTI-PARTY
ACTIVITIES AND HIS SUSPENSION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1.0
PREAMBLE:
1.1
Pursuant to the Directives of the House on Thursday, 22nd December, 2022, that the Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and State Honours investigate petition against the Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government and Political Head, Inukan Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Mr. kunle Balogun over gross misconduct and anti-party activities in the Local Government which was detrimental to the progress and goodwill of the administration of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde.
1.2 Prior to the House Directives the Committee had earlier received a correspondence to conduct investigation via the Office of the Clerk of the House on suspension of Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government- Mr, Kunle Balogun by the Legislative Council, Ona-Ara Local Government. The correspondence was authored by members of the Legislative Council, Ona-Ara Local Government and intimated the House on the resolution of the Legislative Council to suspend Mr. Kunle Balogun as Political Head, Inukan LCDA with effect from 15′ November, 2022 and replace him with the Deputy Leader of the House, Councillor Adedokun Mumini Ololade. The correspondence was duly endorsed by Legislative Council Members from the wards of Ona Ara Local Government namely wards: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10 and 11.
The Committee consequently swung into action and carried out investigations on the two (2) subject matters.
The Committee met with all concerned and relevant stakeholders on Friday, 6
January, 2023 with a view to investigating the matter. The Committee also affirmed the signatories to the petition and the correspondence authored by the Legislative Couneit Ona-Ara Local Government. Each person interrogated was put on oath in accordance with legislative practice and procedures. The members of the Committee raised critical and fundamental questions on each of the issues raised in the petition as allegations against Mr. Kunle Balogun in order to take informed decisions and make appropriate recommendations to the House.
3.0
FINDINGS:
3.1
The following are the findings of the Committee:
3.1.1 Investigation revealed that the actions and administration of Mr. Kunle Balogun, the Political Head of Inukan LCDA were very inimical and detrimental to the policy objectives and people oriented programmes of Governor Seyi Makinde in the State and Local Government levels.
3.1.2 Mr. Kunle Balogun did not regularly attend Security and Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC) meetings when invited by the Officials of the Local Government. Investigations further revealed that on few occasions when he attended due to his ineptitudeness, he disrupted the meetings of important Government decisions.
His action was tantamount to loss of value for Governance and abuse of Office,
3.1.3 It was also found out that, Mr. Kunle Balogun had no human relations with the grassroot people in the Local Government. Whenever his attention was drawn to embark on meaningful and developmental projects within the Council Area, Mr. Kunle Balogun turned deaf ears to the elder’s advice. His action was definitely detrimental to the philosophy of good governance of Governor Seyi Makinde.
3.1.4 The respondent (Mr. Kunle Balogun) accepted in totality all allegations levelled against him by the petitioners while pleading for mercy and compassion from the Committee. He promised Officials of the Local Government, the Committee Members and others that he was going to make necessary adjustments on areas of negligence.
3.1.5 After an exhaustive interrogation and questioning, the Committee observed that the allegations levelled against Mr. Kunle Balogun over gross misconduct was basically on anti-party activities and not found culpable of any financial recklessness or mismanagement of Public Funds in his Official duties.
3.1.6 On issue of suspension of Mr. Kunle Balogun as Vice- Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government by Members of the Legislative Council of the
Local Government through resolution while replacing him with the Deputy Leader of the House, Councillor Adedokun Mumini Ololade. The Committee’s invesigations revealed that the suspension was carried out illegally and without due process or legislative procedures as required by Sections 20, 21 and 22 of the Local Government Law, 2001 (as amended) which provide the procedures for the suspension or removal of Chairman or Vice-Chairman. The action of O
na-Ara Local Government Legislative Council over the suspension of Mr. Kunle Balogun as Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government contravenes the provisions of the sections cited above. The Committee considered it null and void.
4.0
RECOMMENDATIONS:
4.1
In view of the petition against Mr. Kunle Balogun and his suspension investigated by the Committee and findings emanated from the investigations. The Committee pursuant to section 21 of the Local Government Law, 2001 (as amended) hereby recommends for the approval of the House as follows, that:
Mr. Kunle Balogun, the Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government and Political Head Inukan LCDA having not found culpable of any financial misconduct or mismanagement of Public fund except allegations of gross misconduct on Party activities levelled against him and having been suspended unjustly by the Legislative Council be reinstated as the Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government and Political Head Inukan LCDA with immediate effect; and
i. the Deputy Leader of the House, Ona-Ara Local Government Legislative Council, Councilor Adedokun Mumini Ololade who was elected without due process as Acting Vice-Chairman, Ona-Ara Local Government by members of the Legislative Council to vacate the Office of Vice-Chairman immediately