- Your Petition To EFCC Frivolous, Dead On Arrival – Osun APC To Adeleke
- Be Ready To Answer For Your Actions – Osun Govt To Oyetola, Banik, Omowaye, Others
The Osun State Government and the opposition All Progressives Congress have traded words over the alleged misappropriation of a $20m World Bank health grant by former governor Gboyega Oyetola.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the state government petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate Oyetola over the World Bank Health ground and another N1.5bn.
The government accused Oyetola who is now the Minister of Blue Economy, of
money laundering, financial misconduct, and violations of the Public Procurement Act in the disbursement of the grant meant for health sector improvements in the state.
Among the companies named in the petition are Poshpreneurs Nig., owned by the children of the former Head of Service, Olowogboyega Oyebade; Dotfam Multiventures Ltd, linked to the siblings of the former APC State Chairman; The Ice Firms Nig. Ltd, allegedly owned by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke, and Afamoks Web International, linked to former Amotekun Field Commander Amitolu Shittu.
Reacting to the allegations, the APC, on Sunday, slammed the Governor for descending to pettiness, saying his government can’t survive on a witch-hunting mission against Oyetola.
The APC Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, accused Adeleke of diversionary attempt to cover up his corrupt practices bordering on financial improprieties, abuse of power, naked impunity, flagrant disobedience to rule of law among other misconducts.
APC said the state government awarded public contracts to Governor Adeleke’s elder brother, Dr Deji Adeleke,, and serving government officials contrary to the principles of Osun State Public Procurement Law as well as principles of transparency, probit,y, and accountability.
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“It is shocking to note that the state government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke, which has been serially accused of running a secret-cult government owing to its penchant for hiding details of financial and procurement transactions of the state, is the one raising frivolous allegations again his predecessor adjudged the best in financial transparency by the World Bank.
“Unlike the Oyetola government which uploaded no fewer than 110 contract and procurement details on the state government portal in a spate of three years, the current government has only published seven (7) contract details in two years, raising eyebrows about the government’s commitment to accountability and transparency.
“Does Governor Adeleke think trumping lies to cast aspersion on the government of his predecessor will make the EFCC to sweep under the carpet the investigation against Adeleke’s lapdog, the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Akinyode Oyewusi and Kazeem Akinleye, the Chief of Staff to Governor Adeleke?
“Two companies founded by Oyewusi, Raregode Nigeria Limited and Acumen Forte Limited were awarded joint contracts worth over N10 billion at a time Oyewusi was still a serving Deputy Speaker of the state assembly. Raregode Limited is a fertilizer distribution company with no history of road construction but strangely, the Adeleke government awarded the whooping contracts to it.
“Similarly, the Chief of Staff to Governor Adeleke, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, used his closeness to government to obtain for a company founded by him, Akinkaz Interbiz Limited, government contracts. The company was awarded multi-billionaire TETFUND projects at Osun State University ( UNIOSUN) and the University of Ilesa.
“He was alleged to have secured a borehole project for N14 million, many of which ended up 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 today, were built for less than N2 million each.
“Under Governor Adeleke, public procurement in Osun has become an Ojuju-Calabar, an euphemism for secret-cult government. A notable transparency advocacy group, BudgIT, has reported that the Osun State Government has refused to publish relevant information on the state’s e-procurement portal.
Speaking on Adeleke’s allegations, the APC challenged the Governor to publish full details of the unfounded contractors’ alleged improprieties.
“We challenge the state government, who is now on a witch-hunting mission, to publish names of contractors and date of contract awards to substantiate their evil narrative.”
But in a swift reaction, the state government through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, knocked the APC for leaving the fact of the matter and resorting to propaganda, outright falsehoods, and diversionary tactics.
The state government said the approach by the APC only reinforces the fact that the party and its leaders have no reasonable defense against the allegations.
According to a statement by Alimi, the petition was not a product of political witch-hunt but the culmination of a painstaking, evidence-based process that began in early 2023.
He added that a Contract Review Committee was constituted to examine the financial dealings of the previous administration, and its findings uncovered a shocking scale of malfeasance, violations of due process, and brazen acts of corruption under the leadership of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
The statement further read, “Osun State Government has read with interest the gibberish pushed to the public by the Osun State All Progressive Congress (APC) in response to the fact-based petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the State Government in a feeble and desperate attempt to distract from the weighty allegations of financial misconduct detailed in the government’s petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Rather than address the damning revelations of corruption, misappropriation, and abuse of office, the APC has chosen to resort to baseless propaganda, outright falsehoods, and diversionary tactics. This reckless approach only reinforces the fact that the party and its leaders have no reasonable defense against the allegations.
“To set the record straight, the EFCC petition is not a product of political witch-hunt but the culmination of a painstaking, evidence-based process that began in early 2023. A Contract Review Committee was constituted to examine the financial dealings of the previous administration, and its findings uncovered a shocking scale of malfeasance, violations of due process, and brazen acts of corruption under the leadership of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
One of the most damning discoveries was the mismanagement of funds meant for the renovation of 320 primary healthcare centers across Osun State. Rather than follow due process, the former governor unilaterally awarded contracts without any competitive bidding—a clear violation of procurement laws.
“Shockingly, these contracts were handed to close allies, political associates, and family members of top officials, many of whom had no prior experience in construction. The implicated entities include:
“Poshpreneurs Nig – Allegedly owned by the children of the former Head of Service, Olowogboyega Oyebade.
• Dotfam Multiventures Ltd. – Linked to the siblings of the former APC State Chairman.
• The Ice Firms Nig. Ltd. – Allegedly owned by former Commissioner for Local Government, Adebayo Adeleke.
• Afamoks Web International – Linked to former Amotekun Field Commander, Amitolu Shittu.
“Despite receiving full payments, these firms delivered substandard renovations, further proving the criminal intent behind the fraudulent scheme.”
The statement added that “Osun State Government will not be intimidated or blackmailed into silence. The former officials implicated in this petition should prepare to answer for their actions before the appropriate authorities instead of issuing desperate and misleading press statements.
“We trust the EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation and bring all culpable individuals to justice. No amount of noise from the APC can shield the guilty from the consequences of their actions.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
