Ex-Council Officials Hail Abiodun as Ogun Settles ₦3.5bn Severance Debt

Former political office-holders across Ogun State’s 20 local government areas and Local Council Development Areas have commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for the payment of ₦3.503 billion in outstanding severance allowances owed to them.

The beneficiaries received their payments during a cheque presentation ceremony held on Tuesday at the Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Those affected served in various political positions between 2016 and 2024, including former chairmen, vice-chairmen, secretaries to local governments, supervisors, special advisers and councillors.

The state government said a total of ₦3,503,489,479.56 was released to settle the outstanding obligations.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the payment covered 526 former political office-holders from the 2016–2019 tenure and another 516 officials who served between 2020 and 2024.

Akinmade said the payment was part of the Abiodun administration’s commitment to settling legitimate inherited liabilities and ensuring that those who served the state at the grassroots were not left without their entitlements.

He explained that the beneficiaries were subjected to a verification and reconciliation exercise involving the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the State Audit Department and the Local Government Service Commission.

According to him, verified beneficiaries had their payments made directly into their bank accounts. He, however, advised those who had not received payment alerts because of account-related challenges to visit the relevant ministry with the necessary documents for resolution.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Okunade Adebayo and Abosede Balogun thanked the state government for settling the outstanding allowances.

They said the payment showed that the contributions of former local government officials to grassroots development had not been forgotten.

The beneficiaries also commended the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for what they described as a transparent and orderly process.

A former Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Emiola Ghazal, described the payment as an unprecedented development in Ogun State.

Ghazal said former officials had not expected a government to take responsibility for obligations inherited from a previous administration.

He described Governor Abiodun as a “promise keeper” and said the payment reflected what he called the governor’s concern for the welfare of people who had served the state.

Ghazal also suggested that the development could have political implications for the All Progressives Congress as Ogun State prepares for the 2027 general elections.