Indigenes allege fraud in Ekiti LG property sale

Indigenes of Emure Ekiti in Emure Local Government Area of Ekiti State have alleged fraud in the sale of the council’s four-bedroom duplex, calling on stakeholders to intervene and retrieve the property.

The indigenes alleged that the property located at Irewolede Estate, Ado Ekiti, was fraudulently sold by the LG chairman, Tosin Adedayo.

Speaking under the aegis of the Emure Ekiti Good Governance Advocacy Group, the indigenes said the building bought by the council in 2008 for N12.5m was sold for N8.5m on March 23, 2024.

However, Adedayo denied the allegations, stating that the property was sold following due process after the Ekiti Housing Authority threatened to revoke the land when the building became dilapidated.

In a letter dated August 2, 2022, and addressed to the President of the Emure Ekiti Progressive Association, the indigenes claimed that the property was sold for N85m contrary to the N8.5m declared by the council chairman.

A copy of the letter signed by the chairman of the group, Ademola Abegunde, and obtained by Saturday PUNCH, reads in part, “The property is a valuable asset of the council acquired in 2008 by the then council chairman, Peter Ogundoro, for the sum of N12.5m.

“The sale was conducted without proper authorisation, transparency, or due process, to a longtime political ally of the executive chairman at a ridiculously low amount for political patronage.”

The indigenes further stated, “Our investigation revealed that the chairman claimed he sold the property for the ridiculous amount of N8.5m, whereas a plot of land in that estate costs more than N40m.

“Our findings showed that the property was sold for N85m to the said buyer. The first payment of N48m was made through an account provided by the Head of Local Government Administration, while the balance of N36m was also paid into the same account.

“We respectfully request the President, Emure Ekiti Progressive Association, and the entire executive council members to investigate the illegal sale, take appropriate steps to recover Emure Local Government’s property, declare the sale null and void, and recover the property from the buyer.”

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Adedayo, the council chairman, said, “We discussed it at the executive meeting, and it was resolved that the building be put up for sale last year. I was then assigned to find a buyer for the property.

“There was another letter around January or February this year. I met with Kabiesi (the traditional ruler), and we discussed it. I reported back to the executive council again, and we engaged the services of a valuer for the property.

“We then sold the property and used the proceeds to buy another house for our LG officials, for whom the council had been paying rent for a long time.

“It is not possible to sell local government property without following due process. The building belonged to the local government.”