• Threatens petitions to EFCC, ICPC over alleged financial irregularities
A lawyer, Ayo Omoleaupen, has demanded a comprehensive breakdown of federal allocations to the 33 local government areas in Oyo State in the past seven years.
The move might trigger investigations into the management of local government funds.
Omoleaupen, of Umar and Alofe Chambers, made the request in a letter to the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation, pursuant to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
The lawyer said he was acting on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Surulere/Ogo-Oluwa Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Akinloye Olusegun. The request, dated October 27, covers federal allocations to the 33 local government areas from May 2019 to October 2026.
The move, according to the letter, was a prelude to filing petitions before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The lawyer said he needed the information in the interest of civic accountability, public research, and transparency in the management of public finances.
The letter, addressed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, requested that the information be provided within seven days of receipt, in line with Section 4 of the FOI Act.
Among the details sought is a month-by-month breakdown of all federal allocations disbursed to each of the 33 local government areas within the period.
The lawyer also requested separate details of statutory allocations, Value Added Tax (VAT) proceeds, exchange rate gains or differentials, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and other augmentations, including excess crude revenue and other distributions approved by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
He also demanded the aggregate amount received collectively by the 33 councils for each month.
Explaining the basis for the request, the lawyer said his client was an indigene of Oyo State and a concerned stakeholder in accountable governance and public finance management.
The letter reads: “We are Solicitors to Mr. Akinloye Olusegun, hereinafter referred to as our client, on whose firm and express instructions we make this request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.
“Our client is an indigene of Oyo State and a concerned stakeholder in accountable governance and public finance management”.
It added that the request was made in line with Section 14(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which recognises the importance of public accountability.
The lawyer also undertook to pay the prescribed fees for searching, duplication, transcription and certified true copies of the requested records, where applicable, in accordance with Section 8 of the FOI Act.
The development comes amid growing calls for transparency and accountability in the administration of local government finances in Oyo State.