Osun debt: Adeleke has not spent a dime from state purse, says ex-commissioner

Kolapo Alimi, a former Osun commissioner, says Ademola Adeleke, the state governor, has not “spent a dime” from the state’s purse.

While speaking virtually on an Arise TV programme on Monday, Alimi said controversies surrounding the state’s debt profile have restrained the governor from accessing the state funds.

Speaking with traditional rulers on December 15, Adeleke, governor of Osun, had said the immediate past administration took a loan of N18 billion after the July 2022 governorship election.

Adeleke had also said the state is currently indebted to the tune of N407 billion.

Responding to the allegations, Ismail Omipidan, former chief press secretary to Gboyega Oyetola, immediate past governor of Osun, had said the N407 billion debt is from the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

However, Alimi, Aregbesola’s ally and PDP chieftain, refuted Omipidan’s position, adding two of the loans taken by the Aregbesola administration have been liquidated by the lenders.

The former commissioner also said aside from salary payment, the current governor is yet to access state funds for committees set up by the new administration.

“I can tell you authoritatively that governor Adeleke has not spent a dime from the state purse. He has been spending his personal money,” Alimi said.

“Aside from the payment of salary, he has not accessed any kobo and for all the committees set up; nobody has been paid. People are just working on their own.

“It is quite unfortunate that CPS Omipidan thought it was business as usual that Adeleke is spending the way they used to spend in government. No, it is not true. 

“Let me tell you clear that the Osun government will equally respond to alhaji Oyebamiji in clear terms for you to know. I have challenged you now: Compare the figure he rolled out and ask him whether Sukuk has not been liquidated. Ask him too whether the N30 billion bond has not been liquidated. All these monies have been liquidated, but he is still rolling them out to justify their action.

“I now ask him why he has failed to respond point by point to what governor Adeleke has said as supplied to him by the state accountant-general. He has been unable to respond in his report on the N18 billion which Omipidan has actually agreed upon, and it is a loan. Look at his report that Mr Rufai has read out now. The issue of N18 billion is not there.”