Osun: Gov. Adeleke Tackles, Oyetola, His Predecessor, Headlong, Over Monumental Debt Left

By Lateef Adegbite

Not many are surprised over what is happening  in the south west state of Osun where Senator Ademola Adeleke, described as dancing governor of the state elected under the platform of the Opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Adegboyega Oyetola,   the immediate past governor, on the ticket of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC,  are on each other’s throat.

Former Gov. Oyetola, may have tried to turn the heart of the people of the state against Senator Adeleke, his successor  for freezing the accounts  of the state government  in various Commercial banks  and financial institutions   in the country, when he disclosed that he left N14 billion in the state treasury for the new Administration, noting that an additional  N8 billion  is  expected  between the  month of this December , 2022 and , and January 2023,  from it its performance in  SFTAS and Internally generated revenue, IGR, to further boos the amount.

 This contrary to reports making the rounds that he had left an empty treasury and billions naira monumental debts owed the state civil servants, pensioners and contractors. The former governor’s claim to have left N14 billion in the treasury and laid the foundation for additional N8 billion revenue in the state, between this, month of December and next January, 2023, may have forced Senator Adeleke, the i state governor to call for the files from the state ministry of Finance ‘’to know more about the financial status of the state’’.

The governor’s directive may have informed why Mrs. Bimpe  Ogunlumade, the ministry  of Finance Permanent Secretary , was encouraged to brief  the new Administration based on what is contained in the prepared handover note by the former governor.  She was said to have told the incumbent governor that the former Administration had left unpaid salaries, pensions and insurance commitments of about N76 billion.

Given an insider information,  the Osun state, ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary had said that  the outstanding salary that was left behind by the former Administration was  N29,875,191,129.64, while the Pension arrears and group life insurance scheme was N45,375,693.40 and  N554,644,028.97, respectively.

This is just an aspect of the monumental debt left by the former Oyetola Administration in Osun state. Senator Adeleke,  may have shocked the people of the state when he disclosed that the  over N75 billion  debt uncovered by the Administration   at present is not the total debt left   by the past Administration in the state  as briefs are still being received from other ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to uncover other  sources of liabilities  in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari, may have given the Osun state governor another source of major liability to look out for state treasury when he accused the state governors of’’ looting Local government monthly allocations from the Revenue Mobilisation and Allocation Committee, RMAC’’.

The Katsina state born Nigerian President had said that ‘’the stunted development  being experienced in  at the Local government levels in most  states, of the Federation, including Osun,   was caused by  the governors and their local government Collaborators  who ‘’pocket public funds’’.

The Nigerian President had made the revelation at a parley on Thursday, December, 1, 2022, with members of the Senior Executive Course  No.44,2 022, of the National Institute  for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state.  

His major worries was that  the governors  receive   monies  meant for the Local government Areas in their respective states  but only remit half of it to the Council Chairmen  who pilfers the remnant , leaving  little or nothing for developmental projects in the Areas, describing it as ‘’terrible’’.

Giving an instance, of the frauds  occur in the states, he had said that  if the monthly allocation  from the Federation Account  to the state is N100million, N50 m million  will be sent  to the Council Chairman  but the governor will  sign that  he received only N100 million, noting that  he will ‘’pocket  the balance  N50 million and share it  with whoever he wants  to share it with’’.

This may have informed why Senator Adeleke and his officials have beamed their searchlight on the management of the Local government allocations from the federal Account over the last four years, which many believe would further expose the former governor Oyetola’s Administration.

Enough of the debt Controversy over the status of the Oun state treasury by the two major political gladiators. Senate Adeleke, who is not yet done with the probe of his predecessor and his past top officials has given them  48 hours  ultimatum ‘’to return all the governments assets still in their custody’’. Official records from the governor’s office and MDAs, shows   that top officials of the Administration had left with fleet of car in their office.

 Olawale Rasheed, the Chief Press, CPS, Secretary to Gov. Adeleke, was emphatic that ‘’the MDAs, were stripped of its operational assets like vehicles, computers and even residential fittings’’, which must be returned’’. He had said that the former Gov. Oyetola, top officials and Aides, pillaged even ‘’to lamp fittings which has exposed their high level greediness’’.

 Indeed, what is currently happening to former Gov.Oyetola, of Osun state and the top officials of the Administration may be the lot of other governors and their Aides after the May 29, 2023, handover to usher in new Administration in the various states of the Federation and the Federl Capital Territory, FCT, Area Councils.