PETITION: Financial Recklessness and Fictitious Presentation of Non-Executive Cabinet Members of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Council by Hon. Valentine Buraimoh
By People’s Voice Nigeria | News
The Amuwo Odofin Grassroots Project Group, under the leadership of Yetunde Aderemi, the convener of the group, and Com. Abdullahi Sulaimon, the Secretary of the group, writes a petition challenging Hon. Valentine Buraimoh, the Local Council Chairman of Amuwo Odofin LGA.
The petition, which was directed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, challenging Mr. Valentine Buraimoh on poor mismanagement of funds and fictitious presentation of non-executive cabinet members in the local government council.
Valentine Buraimoh, Executive Chairman Amuwo Odofin LGA
The petition, which was titled “Petition on Financial Recklessness and fictitious Presentation of Non-Executive Cabinet Members of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Council Before the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts (local) on October 17, 2023, at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Lagos State House of Assembly, and Financial Recklessness by Mr. Valentine Buraimoh, the Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area,” claimed that Mr. Valentine Buraimoh has been running the administration of Amuwo Odofin LGA singlehandedly as a One Man Project.
It was also claimed that Mr. Valentine Buraimoh deliberately excluded four statutory members of the council’s cabinet while appearing before the public committee (local) by replacing them with persons he singlehandedly employed as council cabinet members.
The petitions also reveal that the Council Cabinet members employed by Mr. Valentine Buraimoh enjoy salaries, huge loan facilities, and official cars, while those officially enlisted by the Lagos State Government have not benefited.
Hon. Stella Foluke Osafile, Member Representing Amuwo Odofin State Constituency 1, Lagos State House of Assembly
According to the Secretary of the group, it was alleged that Hon. Stella Osafile, Member representing the constituency at the State Assembly received a copy of this petition but vowed not to look into it because of her close relationship with Valentine Buraimoh. We made efforts to reach her on this allegation but unfortunately her mobile phone was unreachable.
The petition reads as follows:
Amuwo Odofin Grassroots Project
10th November, 2023.
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa,
The Distinguished Speaker,
Lagos State House of Assembly,
Ikeja, Lagos.
Dear Sir,
PETITION ON FINANCIAL RECKLESSNESS AND FICTITIOUS PRESENTATION OF NON-EXECUTIVE CABINET MEMBERS OF AMUWO ODOFIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL BEFORE THE LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS (LOCAL) ON 17TH OCTOBER 2023 AT THE LATEEF JAKANDE AUDITORIUM, LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY AND FINANCIAL RECKLESSNESSES BY MR. VALENTINE BURAIMOH, THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF AMUWO ODOFIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
We want to commend the Lagos Parliament under your pragmatic leadership for the re-ignited and exemplary commitment recently demonstrated in ensuring that governance at the grassroots works for the benefits of the people. There is no gainsaying re-emphasizing that most Executive Chairmen particularly those who have completed their first term, are either not doing projects that would impact the lives of the people in large numbers or embarking on elephant projects.
We would like to reiterate your statement preceding the invitation requesting that all Executive Chairmen of LGAs and LCDAs to appear before the Public Account Committee (Local). You said it is disheartening how some of these chairmen personalized monthly allocations while their communities were crying for infrastructure and other forms of developmental initiatives.
We will not mince or mint words to state unambiguously that Mr. Valentine Buraimoh has been running the administration of Amuwo Odofin LGA singlehandedly, better still as a one-man project. The height of his showmanship is the recent odious disregard and contempt against a committee made up of Honourable members of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
We are reliably informing your good office that Mr. Valentine Buraimoh deliberately excluded four Statutory Members of the Council’s Cabinet while appearing before the Public Committee (Local) (Folasade Ajao, Anthony Omolodun, Seyi Ipinlaye, and Segun Adekoya) and replaced them with persons he singlehandedly employed as Council Cabinet members (Segun Idris, Ojepe Dare Adio, Bolaji-Tolupe Elliot, Ajibola Jenmi Moruf, Alimi Tairat Bukola, Erinle Olalekan, Kehinde Nurudeen Buraimoh, and Ajiboye Emmanuel Abiodun).
It will interest you to know that these Council Cabinet members employed by Mr. Valentine Buraimoh have not only been receiving salaries but are also enjoying huge loan facilities and official cars. Unfortunately, he has vehemently refused to give the Council’s Cabinet members that were originally enlisted by the state government.
It is also true that Mr. Valentine Buraimoh shamefully distributed refurbished Nigerian used vehicles to councilors and the fake Cabinet members as their official cars while his colleagues gave out jeeps. Sadly, these vehicles were bought at a very outrageous cost.
We also want to inform you that the Executive Council, led by Mr. Valentine Buraimoh, has not had any executive meetings to deliberate on the programs, policies, and projects of the Council. All the reckless and undemocratic attitude of Mr. Valentine Buraimoh stems from the undeserving privilege he had in appointing the Council’s Cabinet members without the State Government’s approval. So, most of the so-called cabinet members cannot challenge his actions.
We are praying that you use your good office to investigate these allegations, and if he is found guilty, then appropriate sanctions should be meted out to him. Please find attached the document showing the approved council’s cabinet members by the state government for your convenience.
We want to further commend the Speaker’s pragmatic and people-focused leadership style at the Lagos Parliament while hoping our petition will get positive action.
Yours-in-Community Service,
Yetunde Aderemi
Convener
Abdullahi Sulaimon
Secretary
