Three weeks into the New Year, the budget of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has not been presented to the council’s assembly, let alone for it to be passed by the legislatures.

There are, however, counter positions about the delay in the presentation of the budget for legislative approval. While some attribute it to the long absence of the Council Chairman, Bola Shobowale, and failure to properly handover to her deputy, some others persons believed to be in her inner caucus disagreed, claiming that the council has been running despite her absence from duty.

There are allegations that the failure of the council chairman to handover properly has left a void, crippling key activities within the council.

A number of stakeholders within the council, seeing the void created by the long absence of the chairman, have petitioned a number of state institutions including the House of Assembly, the Governance Advisory Council and the Ministry of Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Despite these steps, there is still no headway for the proper thing to be done in the council, which some have linked to the delay in the presentation of the budget.
The council boss is said to be allegedly battling a medical condition that has left a significant void in the administration of the LCDA.

And she is said to refuse to follow the chain of command necessary for effective operations within the council.

It was said that the situation reportedly worsened after a recent incident in which she collapsed during one of her rare appearances at the council headquarters mid-2024.

Efforts to get the council Vice Chairman, OtunbaLadi Oluwaloni, to comment were not successful. He did not pick his calls neither did he respond to the text message sent to his phone.