Ado-Odo/Ota lawmakers have reversed the suspension of Council Chairman Wasiu Lawal after facing widespread criticism from residents and political observers. The reversal followed interventions by party leaders, including Ogun Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele
Ado-Odo/Ota Lawmakers Bow to Pressure, Reverse Suspension of Council Chairman amid Widespread Backlash
By NewsHeadline247
What began as a dramatic political move by the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Legislative Council quickly turned into an embarrassing climbdown, as the lawmakers on Friday, October 31, 2025, reversed their decision to suspend the Executive Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Lawal Adewale, FCA, following widespread outrage from residents, political observers, and prominent citizens of the council area.
The lawmakers had announced Lawal’s suspension barely a day earlier, on Thursday, October 30, citing alleged issues of transparency, accountability, and administrative conduct. The decision, which was unanimously adopted during plenary, accused the chairman of failing to submit the local government’s statement of income and expenditure despite repeated demands.
However, the move was immediately met with fierce public backlash. Residents, community leaders, and political watchers across Ado-Odo/Ota condemned the action as hasty, ill-advised, and politically motivated, accusing the councillors of turning governance into a tool for personal and factional interests.
“This was nothing short of a political show,” said one prominent indigene. “Suspending a sitting chairman without exhausting internal reconciliation was reckless and embarrassing. The lawmakers owe the people of Ado-Odo/Ota an apology for dragging the council’s image through the mud.”
On social media, many citizens described the lawmakers’ action as “a disgrace to grassroots governance,” warning that such political drama could destabilise local administration and hinder development in the area.
The intensity of the public reaction reportedly forced the lawmakers to reconsider their decision, leading to a late-night meeting on Friday where the council lifted the suspension and reinstated the embattled chairman.
Party Leaders Intervene to Restore Peace
Although public pressure played a decisive role in the reversal, sources confirmed that the intervention of key All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, including Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and the Member representing Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency, Hon. Tunji Akinosi, was instrumental in restoring calm.
Also present during the reconciliation were Hon. Sessan Fagbayi (Commissioner for Culture and Tourism), Chief Aiyedogbon, Hon. Lai Taiwo, Hon. Kazeem Salako, and the APC Party Chairman, Hon. JJ Akeran, who all mediated between both arms of government.
In his address to colleagues during plenary, Leader of the House, Hon. Gbadamosi Mutairu Akanji, ACA, acknowledged the intervention of party leaders and confirmed that the council had resolved to lift the suspension after the chairman complied with one of their key demands — the presentation of the financial report.
“This decision is taken in the overall interest of peace, stability, and progress in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government,” Akanji stated. “Through renewed cooperation, we can deliver the dividends of democracy and restore confidence in grassroots governance.”
Following the resolution, Acting Chairman, Hon. Abosede Balogun, officially handed over the administration of the council back to Lawal in the presence of the mediating party leaders — an act that signified the restoration of peace and order.
Critics: “The Lawmakers Embarrassed Themselves and the Council”
Despite the reinstatement, many residents insist that the legislative council’s credibility has been badly damaged. They accused the lawmakers of playing politics with governance, warning that the episode has eroded public trust.
“Reinstating the chairman just a day after suspending him shows the suspension was baseless from the start,” a resident said. “It was a move designed to create tension, and the public outrage rightly forced them to back down.”
Political analysts also linked the incident to power tussles within the ruling APC, particularly between factions loyal to Deputy Governor Salako-Oyedele and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (YAYI), who are believed to be positioning for influence ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
“The Ado-Odo/Ota saga is not just about accountability; it’s a reflection of the growing contest for power in Ogun West,” one analyst told NewsHeadline247. “The lawmakers simply became pawns in a bigger political chess game.”
Calm Restored, But Questions Remain
Although the chairman has since resumed office, many observers believe the entire episode has exposed the fragility of local government politics in Ogun State’s largest council area.
The swift reversal, critics say, highlights a troubling pattern of political impulsiveness and weak institutional discipline, raising concerns about governance and accountability at the grassroots level.
“This should be a lesson to the lawmakers,” said a local opinion leader. “Next time, they should think deeply before taking actions capable of throwing the entire community into crisis. Governance is not a stage for political theatre.”
