During that period under review, Kasali had served as the Executive Secretary, under whom the N90 million was embezzled with the support of his cronies in the LCDA.
An aspirant for the chairmanship of the Lekki Local Council Development Area of Lagos State under the All Progressives Congress, Bamidele Kasali, has been indicted over N90 million embezzlement of public funds, according to documents from the Auditor-General’s Report for Local Government in 2015/2016.
During that period under review, Kasali had served as the Executive Secretary, under whom the N90 million was embezzled with the support of his cronies in the LCDA.
According to the report, Kasali stole the funds under doubtful expenditure put at N5,323,000; irregular payments put at N9,080,500; schedules of project characterised by irregularities put at N73,915,421.28, and also, schedules of expenditure incurred without proof of performance put at N2,372,000, which all amounted to N90,690,921.
Angry youths under the National Youth Council of Nigeria in a protest letter, dated May 14, 2021, called on the APC Chairman in charge of the Local Government Election Screening Committee LGESC) in Lagos State to therefore disqualify Kasali due to the embezzlements of public funds.
In the letter signed by Israel Akintunde, Gabon Basirat Folasade and Busari Temidayo, and obtained by SaharaReporters, the youths stated that Kasali could not be entrusted with the Lekki LCDA chairmanship going by his past dubious records in the state and LCDA.
The letter is titled, “Petition against the Nomination of Bamidele Rasaki Kasaali as Chairmanship aspirant in the forthcoming local government elections in Lagos State on the account of indictment by the auditor-general for local government year 2015/2016 reports and public account committee on local government, Lagos State House of Assembly.”
The youths council said, “In line with the while-blower policy of the government to expose corruption with a view to engendering transparency and accountability in the utilisation of public funds in order to promote growth and social economic development, we write to refer to the above subject matter and draw your attention to the existing indictment for fraud and embezzlement of public funds by Bamidele Kasali in the year 2015/2016 Auditor-General’s report for local government and public account committee for local governments, Lagos State Assembly when he was privileged to direct the affairs of the Lekki LCDA between 2015 and 2016 as executive secretary.
“It is public knowledge that Bamidele Kasali presided over the Lekki LCDA in the year udner review with bracing contempt, growing impunity and total disregard for both administrative guidelines and financial memorandum in his quest for financial recklessness and stealing.
“Below is a table of embezzled funds; one, doubtful expenditure N5,323,000; Irregular payment N9,080,500; schedules of project characterised by irregularities N73,915,421.28, and schedule for expenditure incurred without proof of performance N2,372,000, which all amounted to N90,690,921.
“It is on records that several millions of naira were embezzled using the names of local government staff members under disguise of direct labour of projects such as boreholes, public toilets etc with no site location where such projects were carried out. This is a clear case of stealing and broad daylight robbing.
“In view of the above, Bamidele Kasali has demonstrated lack of honesty and cannot be further entrusted with executive power. In the interest of the good people of Lekki LCDA, Bamidele Kasali should be disqualified from the chairmanship election.”