The Osun State Government has dismissed a series of allegations against the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, describing claims on infrastructure quality, public spending, insecurity, appointments and other issues as falsehoods aimed at discrediting the government.
In a document made available to journalists on Sunday by the state government, the administration responded to 14 allegations it described as “fake news” against the Adeleke government.
On the quality of infrastructure projects in the state, the government said the projects were being handled by experienced engineers certified by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and executed in line with global best practices.
The government said the quality of the projects had also been subjected to technical assessment by the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
It said, “Osun projects are handled by experienced, COREN certified engineers. The projects are conceived and executed with global best practices that are even validated by a technical mission of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.”
The government also rejected claims that major projects were awarded to companies without the required expertise, saying contractors engaged by the administration had passed through due diligence, due process and procurement procedures.
“All companies engaged by the administration passed due diligence, due process and procurement processes. The companies also parade tested COREN certified professionals as staff. They are competent and entrenched in the construction sector,” it said.
On criticism over the use of indigenous contractors instead of multinational construction firms such as Julius Berger, the government said the administration was implementing a local content policy to build the capacity of local companies and stimulate the state’s economy.
It said the policy was designed to ensure that public funds were retained within the state while maintaining quality standards.
“The local content policy places top emphasis on quality and best construction practices,” the government said.
The government also denied reports that newly constructed bridges in the state were collapsing as a result of poor workmanship.
It said no new bridge had collapsed, describing the two incidents cited in the allegations as cases of sabotage and misrepresentation.
According to the government, a section of one road on a bridge was deliberately damaged and subsequently rehabilitated, while another road being attributed to the Adeleke administration was actually constructed under the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola in Ile-Ife.
On the allegation that the Adeleke administration was responsible for insecurity and killings in the state, the government said Governor Adeleke had directed his supporters not to retaliate against attacks.
It further made allegations against members of the opposition and the police, claiming that Accord Party members had suffered attacks, injuries and arrests.
The claims could not be independently verified from the document.
The government also rejected an allegation that Governor Adeleke spent N92 billion on entertainment through the Governor’s Office within three years.
It explained that the Governor’s Office comprises eight agencies with separate budgetary sub-heads and that expenditure under the office could not be attributed solely to the governor.
“The Governor’s office is not about the governor alone and other agencies domiciled with operate their budget and implement their listed projects. The governor did not spend N92 billion on entertainment as alleged,” the statement said.
On the controversy surrounding the Ido-Osun Airport, the government denied claims that the facility was moved to Ede for political reasons.
It said the airport remained at Odo-Osun but was handed over to the Nigerian Air Force under an arrangement initiated by the previous administration.
The government also dismissed claims of an alleged “Edenisation” agenda, saying its infrastructure programme was designed to cover different parts of the state.
It said the Osun Infra Agenda was launched in December 2022, with a second phase launched in December 2023 covering Ila Orangun, Iwo, Ilesa, Ede and Ile-Ife.
According to the government, the projects under the programme had been completed and were being commissioned.
On allegations that the Adeleke administration had received more money than the previous government but failed to deliver proportionately, the government said rising inflation and construction costs must be considered when comparing government spending.
It claimed that construction costs had risen by more than 500 per cent, making direct comparisons with the pre-2022 period misleading.
The government listed 350 kilometres of roads, three flyover bridges, six dualised roads, 150 renovated schools, more than 200 renovated health centres and 31 tractors among projects delivered under the Adeleke administration.
It also cited the near liquidation of inherited half-salary and pension liabilities as part of its achievements.
On the allegation that Governor Adeleke was not in control of the state government and that his siblings were running the administration, the government dismissed the claim.
It said the governor remained responsible for executive decisions and approvals and that neither his brother nor sister was a member of the state cabinet or held an official position in the administration.
“Mr Governor is firmly in control of his government,” it said.
The government also clarified the controversy over its earlier plan to acquire more than 100 tractors, saying the purchase was designed to be executed in three batches.
According to the statement, the first batch of 31 tractors had been acquired and deployed, with the tractors ploughing more than 400 hectares of farmland.
It said the purchase of the remaining tractors was put on hold because of financial constraints, particularly what it described as the withholding of local government allocations.
The government added that previous APC administrations did not purchase a tractor for 12 years.
On workers employed towards the end of the previous administration, the government defended its decision concerning their employment, alleging that the recruitment process had not been completed before the previous government left office.
It claimed the recruitment process violated established procedures and rules.
On the fees charged by the University of Ilesa for medical and law programmes, the government said the fees reflected the cost of facilities and training required for the courses.
It argued that the fees remained comparatively lower than those charged by some other institutions, including the University of Osun.
The government also responded to criticism of Governor Adeleke’s frequent public dancing, saying his personal expression did not affect his performance as governor.
“The governor is a tough hearted individual who is deeply devoted to the service of the state. The dancing aspect does not affect his governance of the state,” the government said.
It added that Adeleke regarded dancing as an expression of gratitude to God.
The government urged residents to assess claims about the administration against available facts, maintaining that the Adeleke administration had continued to focus on infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and other sectors.
