The Ondo State acting governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has directed the immediate freezing of the accounts of local government administrations across the state.
Aiyedatiwa made the decision just a few weeks after his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, appointed caretaker chairmen for 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas.
The order was given in a press statement released from the office of the acting governor which also banned all the chairmen from opening new bank accounts for the councils.
The memo, which has also caused tension within political circles in the state, was addressed to the Heads of Local Government Administrations.
It read: “Distinguished HOLGAs, Your Excellency, the Acting Governor of Ondo State, has directed that all spending and expenditure from local government accounts should be suspended, with no signing of checks, no change of signatories, and no withdrawal of any sort until further directive.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Aiyedatiwa suspended the Chief of Protocol to Akeredolu, Bola Alabi, and replaced him with the Deputy Chief of Staff, Olusegun Omojuwa.
The state government had said Alabi would return to his duty post when the governor returns from the medical vacation in Germany.
This was made known in a circular titled “Preparation of the acting governor’s engagements” sent to all the concerned departments in the state government by Omojuwa.
It had read, “The acting Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed me to inform all members of the State Executive Council and top government functionaries that the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor will be responsible for the preparation and signing of his official engagements for the time being.
“The Chief of Protocol (Mr Bola Alabi) will take charge of this responsibility as soon as Mr Governor resumes from his medical vacation.
“Kindly take note for your guidance and co-operation from time to time.”