The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed allegations of a $20m fraud levelled against former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola by his successor, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Adeleke, in a petition submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last week, accused Oyetola of money laundering and violations of the Public Procurement Act.
But addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Osun APC Media Director, Kola Olabisi, described Adeleke’s petition as a politically motivated attempt to tarnish Oyetola’s reputation.
Olabisi accused Adekleke of using the fraud claim as a tool to settle political scores after failing to control the state’s local government councils.
“When their attempt to forcibly take over local government council offices failed, they resorted to crude tactics to damage the image of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, a man of candor and probity who served the state honorably,” Olabisi said.
He challenged the Adeleke administration to publish the names of contractors and contract award dates to substantiate its claims.
“Unlike Oyetola, who uploaded details of 110 contracts and procurements on the government portal over three years, the current government has published only seven contract details in two years. This raises serious questions about its commitment to transparency and accountability,” he added.
But in response, the Osun State Government maintained that it would not be intimidated or blackmailed into silence, urging those implicated in the petition to prepare to defend themselves.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, insisted that the petition submitted to the EFCC was based on a thorough investigation and was not politically motivated.
“To set the record straight, the EFCC petition is the result of a painstaking, evidence-based process that began in early 2023. A Contract Review Committee was established to examine the financial dealings of the previous administration, and its findings uncovered widespread corruption, due process violations, and financial mismanagement under Oyetola,” Alimi said.
He revealed that a White Paper Committee reviewed and validated the findings before recommending the prosecution of implicated officials. These recommendations, he noted, were approved by the State Executive Council in 2024.
“One of the most damning revelations was the mismanagement of funds meant for the renovation of 320 primary healthcare centers across the state. Rather than follow due process, the former governor unilaterally awarded contracts without competitive bidding, violating procurement laws.
“These contracts were given to close allies, political associates, and family members of top officials, many of whom had no prior experience in construction. Despite receiving full payments, these firms delivered substandard work, further exposing the fraudulent scheme,” Alimi stated.
The commissioner also alleged that N1.5bn was laundered through the Osun chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria between January and October 2022.
“Financial records from Zenith Bank show that funds were funneled into a private account linked to Akeem Ibitoye, a local government employee and Director of Finance at Ejigbo Local Government. Subsequent cash withdrawals ranging from N10m to N30m were made daily with no records of official use,” he revealed.
Alimi reaffirmed the Adeleke administration’s commitment to transparency, stating that the government would not relent in its pursuit of justice.
“A responsible government does not ignore this level of financial recklessness and fraud. Unlike the APC, which thrives on impunity, Governor Adeleke’s administration remains committed to accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.
“The former officials implicated in this petition should prepare to answer for their actions instead of issuing misleading press statements,” he added.
The Osun government also expressed confidence in the EFCC’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation and bring those found culpable to justice, stating that “no amount of noise from the APC will shield anyone from the consequences of their actions.”
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
