Ogun Crisis: Daniel Owes Us N788m, Says Speaker

Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Tunji Egbetokun, on Tuesday told Senators that the State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, is owing the House N788 million out of the N800 million appropriated for capital projects this year.

Egbetokun, who appeared alongside the state Commissioner of Police, Hamishu Argungu, before the Senate Ethics and Public Petitions Committee, disclosed that Daniel has only paid the House N12 million out of the appropriated N800 million.

The House of Assembly last sat March 3, after it suspended former Speaker Titi Oseni and another lawmaker.

The panel invited Egbetokun and Argungu to appear, based on a resolution of the Senate over a petition submitted on behalf of the Ogun lawmakers by Iyabo Obasanjo, representing Ogun Central Senatorial District.

Accompanied by four of his colleagues, Egbetokun told the Senator Omar Hambagda-led panel that the governor equally released only one million monthly in 2008, although N800 million was approved in the budget.

'"The House got N1 million monthly, making N12 million, for the whole year as capital project fund, yet N800 million was approved for us,'" he said.

Egbetokun traced the crisis in the state to the removal of Oseni, adding, '"The governor vowed not to accept the new leadership of the House and despite everything we have done, the governor would not bulge.'" He said they were unsafe following threats from government.

On his part, Argungu, who said he took over command in Ogun State on March 5 this year, said there was no directive that the House should not sit.

He tendered a letter written by the Clerk of the House announcing that the House was proceeding on an indefinite suspension, saying, '"Till now, there had not been a letter informing us that they are resuming'".

Argungu told the Senate panel that contrary to claims by the lawmakers, the police was not responsible for the delay in the Ogun State House of Assembly resuming their lawful duties.

Hambagda, however, told reporters that the governor had a written submission, which was given to the committee by his representative who was not named.