The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in Osun State on Tuesday suspended the State chairman, Prince Bello Adebayo, for anti-party activities and alleged embezzlement of N34 million allowance meant for polling agents who worked for the party during the 2023 general election.
The allowance also covered the publicity of the presidential candidate of the party during the election.
Adebayo’s suspension was conveyed by party executives in his ward (ward 12) in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State.
The suspension was announced at a press conference chaired by Hammed Sheriff.
“Our reason for suspending Bello Adebayo was hinged on Article 19(1B)(2B) subsections 2,3,4 and 5. He carried out anti-party propaganda and his failure to attend Ward meetings about 10 times without cogent reason.”
This was just as the chairmen of the party across all local government areas of Osun led by Raheem Taiwo-Ojo (Ede South) passed a vote of confidence on the LP Acting Chairman in the state, Chief Sussan Ojo, dissociating themselves from ‘illegal’ suspension of the National Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Akingbade Oyelekan and Sussan Ojo by Bello Adebayo(ex-chairman).
Ojo alleged that N4 million that was released by LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for publicity to Adebayo was not paid to the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LPPCC) and after the 2023 General election, N30 million meant for polling agents given to him was allegedly misappropriated.
She explained that “Comrade Lanre Fadahunsi who is the SW Coordinator of Big Tent and the Chairman of Media Committee of the LPPCC, Barrister Jimoh Babalola featured on both radio and TV stations marketing Peter Obi and canvassing for votes. The funds spent on this were not given by Adebayo (as it was promised) he took the intervention of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Spokesman Dr. Umar Tanko before he could release part of the money.
“Also, polling agents tasked with the responsibility of submitting Form EC8A after the elections were not compensated despite the fact that he was given N30M to pay polling unit agents that submitted the Form EC8A. Now the leaders of LPPCC are being chased around by those who submitted these forms while Bello collected and cornered their funds.”
Meanwhile, Adebayo, reacting to the allegations, said, “there’s no substantial excos for ward 12, all executives in Osogbo local government areas are unhappy. Their tenure has expired because they didn’t even make the Congress which was may last year. So, there is no substantial exco for ward 12.
“The only money sent to us then was N300,000 naira. The N300,000 was sent to us by Chief Akinosun Tokun. Sp, the evidence is there they can contact him.”