News in brief:
– The Ondo Farmers Congress expelled ex-president, Joshua Oyedele, over allegations of fund diversion and illegal land sales.
– Oyedele denied the accusations, claiming he was being victimised for challenging the legitimacy of the new leadership.
The Ondo State Farmers Congress has expelled its former president, Joshua Oyedele, over allegations of financial misappropriation and misconduct while in office. The Public Relations Officer of the association, Felix Akinboboye, made this known during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Alagbaka, Akure.
According to Akinboboye, the Congress followed the disciplinary provisions of its constitution, which led to Oyedele’s expulsion. Oyedele, who served as president for two terms—spanning eight years—was accused of several financial and administrative infractions.
Land sales and diversion of funds
One of the major accusations against Oyedele was the alleged unauthorised sale of the association’s land in Akure without providing financial reports. He was also accused of non-payment of workers’ salaries, illegal disposal of the association’s property, and diversion of funds meant for farmers.
“The most disheartening of all was that this man sold many plots of our landed property. He declared that he sold 22 out of about 72 plots, but when this new executive came on board, we discovered that he sold even more than that,” Akinboboye stated.
He further alleged that Oyedele misused funds received from the government on behalf of the farmers, diverting the money for personal use.
Failure to appear before the inquiry panel
Akinboboye revealed that a panel of inquiry was set up to investigate Oyedele’s actions, but he repeatedly failed to respond to invitations. His refusal to appear before the panel was one of the key reasons Congress decided to expel him.
Reacting to the allegations, Oyedele denied any wrongdoing, describing the accusations as malicious and untrue. He claimed that he was being targeted for challenging what he termed the illegality of the current leadership.
“No one can expel me from the association,” Oyedele declared when contacted via phone anonymously. The crisis within the Ondo State Farmers Congress continues to unfold, raising concerns over leadership accountability in farmers’ associations across the state.
