Councillors of Owo Local Government Area in Ondo State have suspended the council chairman, Mr. Tope Omotayo, over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Omotayo, who was elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform during the last local government elections, has reportedly been at odds with the council’s legislative arm in recent months.
In a resolution signed by a two-thirds majority of the councillors and read on Wednesday, the legislative council, led by Hon. Doyin Adebayo, announced the suspension, citing serious allegations including financial mismanagement, disregard for budgetary procedures, violation of internal revenue regulations, and disrespect toward traditional leaders.
“These serious allegations warrant a thorough investigation. The legislative council has acted decisively to uphold transparency and accountability in the administration of Owo Local Government,” the resolution stated.
In the interim, Hon. Hamed Ibrahim, the council’s Vice Chairman, has been appointed as Acting Chairman pending the outcome of the investigation.
The council also instructed the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) to update official bank signatories and ensure all government property in Omotayo’s possession is returned.
“This suspension is effective immediately. It is a necessary step to restore trust and reinforce good governance at the local level,” the councillors added.
They also assured residents of Owo that the investigation would be conducted fairly, transparently, and without bias, urging calm and cooperation from all stakeholders.
However, in a swift reaction, the embattled chairman, Mr. Tope Omotayo, dismissed the council’s action, claiming he had not received any official communication about his suspension.
“Those are elements of destruction. I didn’t receive any letter from them. In fact, we were at the same programme yesterday, there was no issue,” Omotayo told journalists.
