JUST IN: Labour Party chairman suspended over misappropriation of N34 million in Osun

The Osun State Labour Party chapter has suspended its leader, Adebayo Bello, over an alleged N34 million money theft.

Adebayo’s suspension was announced by the party’s ward 12 executive members, led by Chairman Hammed Sheriff, during a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

The executives also claimed Adebayo failed to attend party ward meetings for no apparent reason.

I, Hammed Sheriff, being the Chairman of ward 12 Osogbo Local Government and having seven of the executive with me making a two third of the Exco and having found Bello Adebayo guilty of Article 19 (1b) subsections 2,4, 5 and Article 19 (2b) subsections 3, hereby suspended him as a member of the Labour Party in the ward”, he said.

“Meanwhile, the acting Chairman of the party, while addressing the party after Bello’s suspension, said Bello along with many others had been suspended by the party’s National Executive Council meeting in Bauchi in March 2023, hence, lack the stand to suspend anyone.

“She also alleged that Bello misappropriated funds meant to prosecute some of the party activities during presidential campaign and the election.

“For example, The funds meant for media consultancy amounting to about N4million given to Bello was not released for the purpose it was meant for.

“Unfortunately, the Osun LPPCC allowed Bello to dupe them the second time. Having given himself a very bad reputation among the Obidients, Candidates and Party leaders, he had to rely on the goodwill of LPPCC to get people/polting unit agents to submit Form EC8A after the elections. And before the LPPCC decided to work with him, he promised that those who submitted these forms would be compensated.

“After submission he was thereafter given N30million to pay polling unit agents that submitted the Forms EC8A. Now the leaders of LPPCC are being chased around by those who submitted these. Forms, while Bello had collected and cornered their funds.

“Today, the State Working Committee, the Labour Party candidates and the 31 local government chairmen have passed vote of confidence on the national legal adviser of the party Barrister Akingbade Oyelekan and the state acting chairman Mrs. Suzan Ojo. And the said suspension by Bello is nullity because he has been suspended by the Bauchi NEC executive. Therefore, he should know that it is against the constitution of our party to act the way he acted, he cannot use illegality to axe the substance of law”, she added.

Reacting, Bello said his suspension cannot stand as ward 12 of Osogbo local government does not have a substantive executive committee to suspend him, saying even their tenure as acting executive members has expired.

“With regards to funds, I am not aware of any N34 million, the only fund I received was N300,000 sent by Akin Osuntokun and it is verifiable. I am not aware of any fund during the presidential campaign rally in the state”, he added.