The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the actions of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Speaking to reporters in Osogbo, the chairman of Osun APC, Tajudeen Lawal, stated that the state was becoming difficult to govern for Adeleke due to mismanagement, which has caused dissatisfaction among many residents.
Lawal expressed willingness to support anti-corruption agencies in examining the Adeleke administration.
He also accused the governor of openly ignoring existing laws and seriously violating the 2015 Public Procurement Law of the state in the award of contracts to companies lacking experience in road construction. He called for the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Akinyode Oyewusi, whose company was reportedly given the road construction contract, to resign from the parliament and submit to law enforcement.
He also mentioned, “It is surprising that two companies established by the current Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Akinyode Abidemi Oyewusi, were recently granted road construction contracts by the Government of Osun State.
“The Osun State Deputy Speaker is the founder of Raregeode Company Limited and Acumen Forte Limited, the two companies given road projects by Governor Adeleke totaling N9 billion. He was a shareholder in both companies when the contracts were awarded, and his family members were also significantly involved in the two companies, which goes against the public procurement law of Osun State.
“According to the PPA Law of 2015, it is a serious conflict of interest for a leader of the state House of Assembly to use two companies founded by him, where he is still a shareholder, and where his family members hold key leadership positions, to bid for public contracts. Due to Mr Oyewusi's unpatriotic action, which blatantly violates the state’s procurement law, he should immediately resign from the state House of Assembly and submit himself to the anti-corruption agency for prosecution.
“Furthermore, it is unusual that the Ademola Adeleke Government granted public contracts to companies with no track record in road construction. There is no verifiable proof that Raregeode Company Limited, Acumen Forte Limited, Ascorj Integrated Nigeria Ltd, Great Enyork Technology Limited, and Enginec Engineering Limited have the capability and experience for such substantial contracts. The contracts were not only given to inexperienced companies, but they were also awarded at exorbitant costs. Even in the Niger Delta states with challenging terrain, contracts are not awarded at N2.5bn per kilometre as Governor Adeleke has done in the case of Osun.
“We urge the anti-corruption agencies, particularly the ICPC and EFCC, to promptly send their personnel to Osun State to stop the reckless mismanagement of public funds that has become common under the government of Senator Ademola Adeleke.”
But when he answered the accusations, Osun PDP leader Mr Sunday Bisi, said the state government was not hiding anything, and asked the opposing party to bring its anti-corruption agencies to investigate Adeleke.
Bisi, who spoke at the party's state office in Osogbo, urged Adeleke to investigate the state's finances during the previous administration of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, saying the PDP government inherited a state burdened with over N500 billion debt without significant projects to justify it.
He stated, “We strongly deny claims that the state government broke the state procurement law. It is an unfounded claim. We also reject a defamatory claim by Soko Lawal that the Adeleke family is stealing from the state treasury through contract awards. The family is blessed and is only focused on giving back to the society.
“We confirm that the state government is not only following existing laws but also wisely using available resources to develop the state's infrastructure. Mr Governor is a leader of due process, rule of law and fear of God.
“Before addressing Osun APC, the lying machine, point by point, we want to remind the public that Osun APC left the state in a state of decline, with massive debt and nothing to show for it.
“We inherited a legacy of unpaid pensions and half salaries as well as a deep infrastructure deficit. As I said in my statement on Monday, we did not investigate the multi-billion naira fraud and looting by the former governor because we are interested in rescuing our dear state.
“We are forced to call on Governor Ademola Adeleke to carry out a thorough investigation of the Oyetola government. It is time to reveal to the public the legacy of a fraudulent administration left behind by former Governor Oyetola. It is publicly known that the Adeleke family are enterprising, with several well-known businesses in Nigeria and abroad. The Osun APC should stop seeing the Adeleke family as being like the former governor whose family members have no known source of employment outside of government, taking almost everything for themselves including printing jobs at the secretariat while in power.
“The fact that Osun APC failed to cite the relevant section of the PPA 2015 easily exposes the falsehood in its claim. The awarding of the contracts followed the specific provisions of the PPA 2015, which we believe the Osun APC is unaware of or simply chooses to be deceitful by presenting an incorrect story to the public. There is no violation of the procurement law of Osun state or any other laws.
“It is a fact that at the time when Raregeode Company Limited and Acumen Forte Limited won the bid and were awarded contracts for the various projects, the Deputy Speaker, Akinyode Oyewusi has ceased to have any role in the two companies.
“The public is advised to take note of the March 20, 2023, resignation letter of Oyewusi, relinquishing control over the two companies in line with the provisions of the law. As long as he has resigned his interest in the company, there is no obstacle or illegality on the side of the Deputy Speaker.”
