…Accuses him of spending N40b of local govt allocation to fund his office, N11b on luxury cars
All Progressives Congress (APC) Osun State chapter, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke-led State government as cesspit of corruption, accusing it of spending over N40 billion of local government allocation to fund the Office of the Governor, and devoting N11 billion to buy luxury cars.
The APC chapter levied the allegation while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, claiming that Governor Adeleke awarded over N5 billion contract for renovation Governor’s Lodges to his son-in-law resident in United States of America.
Replying Governor Adeleke’s spurious allegations against his immediate predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola and some of his cabinet members on the $20 million(N6.2 billion) Save-One-Million Lives (SOML) programme, the APC chapter claimed that government officials are engrossed in the extravagant lifestyle made possible through the local government allocations.
Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, who read a prepared speech, expressed disappointment over the political mockery going on in Osun, a State noted for the erudition and political fecundity of her citizens.
He said: “We have since realised that the feeding bottle taken away from Governor Adeleke and his government is the cause of their restiveness and anger. For over two years, the Adeleke government had a hold on the local government administration in the state, frittering the allocations meant for the local councils.
“We are aware of how the government spent over N40 billion of the local government allocation to fund the Office of the Governor, devoting N11 billion to buy luxury cars for unproductive politicians, renovating the governor’s lodges with over N5 billion, a contract awarded to his son-in-law who came only three times to supervise the project from his base in the United States of America, at a time allocations to key sectors of the economy like Health, Education, Sports, etc, are stunted and unavailable.
“Tertiary, secondary and primary education in the state are starved of the needed supports meanwhile, the members of the governor’s kitchen cabinet drive in the latest Prado Land Cruiser Jeep each costing N150 million.
“The government officials have been so engrossed in the extravagant lifestyle made possible through the local government allocations that they found it troubling to adjust to the new status quo. The status quo is that the reinstated local government executives have since returned to office and begun to initiate policies that would bring succour to the people of Osun State who elected them in October 2022,” the APC chapter enumerated.
The party and other stakeholders present at the briefing also accused Governor Adeleke of running the most nepotistic administration in the history of the State, alleging that his family members and officials are using their closeness to government and privileged positions to corner undeserved contracts.
“It would be offensive to your senses of hearing to learn that Governor Ademola Adeleke runs the most nepotistic administration ever in the history of the 34-year-old state where he combines the ministry of works with his own portfolio apart from the fact that he appointed his late brother’s wife the Commissioner in charge of Abuja Affairs and one of the late brother’s children, Tunji Adeleke Jnr who had just left university without any working experience, the chairman of the state local government commission.
“The nephew in question operates from his base in the United States of America. The cases of Governor Adeleke’s family members and officials using their closeness to government and privileged positions to corner undeserved contracts against extant laws abound.
“Dr Deji Adeleke (the governor’s brother and father of the popular singer, Davido) has been entangled in this web of contract racketeering as his name has surfaced severally in the controversial borehole projects allegedly installed in selected wards in the state. He was alleged to have secured a borehole project for N14 million, many of which ended not being built.
“The similar borehole projects, but with all the ancillary facilities, were built in the health centres rehabilitated under our administration for less than N2 million each. It is painful that imaginary and audio borehole projects were allegedly superintended by Dr Deji Adeleke for insanely N14 million while similar projects, which are still functioning till today, were built for less than N2 million each.
“It is not a gainsaying that Dr Deji Adeleke has been operating behind the scene as the unofficial Governor-General of the state; Mrs Dupe Adeleke-Sanni, the governor’s elder sister has secured the role of the governor-in-charge of administration for herself while the governor who was elected has been titular and ridiculously playing the role of a governor-in-charge of entertainment to the consternation of the right-thinking members of the society. The situation is that bad in our state,” the State party’s chapter alleged.
Other party members and Osun political stakeholders include Abdul Hakeem, Dr Festus Oyebade, Hon Leke Ogunsola, Remi Omowaye, Prof Olamiju Sijiola, Mrs Funke Egbemode, former Commissioner for Information.
Daily Sun
