THE Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lambasted the state Governor Ademola Adeleke over the high level of corruption that has become a norm with his administration.
According to the Osun State Acting Chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, in Osogbo, the state capital today, the party noted that it is disheartening that the state has been turned to a pool of stagnant water of corruption where corrupt practices have been institutionalized under the watch of the state Governor, Senator Adeleke.
Lawal disclosed that it was nauseating, repugnant and appalling to observe that some of the people in the Adeleke administration are now generating the government revenue into their personal pockets.
The Acting State APC chairman explained that there could not be any other name for the fleecing of the public funds other than official corruption at the higher level of government.
He made it known to Adeleke that for the mere fact that the PDP administration is in charge of the government of the state does not confer a licence on its members and supporters to loot it dry.
Lawal stated that the thinking and belief outside the government is that if the sharp practices introduced to governance in Osun State does not have the blessing and approval of Governor Adeleke, he ought to have made a statement distancing himself from the corrupt act and subsequently make scapegoats out of the culprits.
He disclosed that some government documents in the public domain which have since gone viral particularly from the state ministry of environment and sanitation, have shown how directives were made for the money meant for the state revenue to be paid into private accounts of some individuals in the government.
In his words: “There is a particular directive signed by a consulting partner in the state ministry of Environment and Sanitation dated March 22, 2023 directing payment to one Lekan Salau’s private company, Star Commercial Enterprises with bank account number 0018210014, GTBank.
“Another demand notice addressed to one Mrs Shakirat signed by T.O. Akande, Director of Administration and Supplies on behalf of the Permanent Secretary dated April 20th, 2023; also from the state ministry of Environment and Sanitation directed the payment of the Environmental Development Levy(EDL) to the WEMA Bank account number 0229644915, belonging to one Afolabi Sunday O, who is a member of the Revenue Committee set up by the Governor.
“What other proofs do we need to establish the fact that the Osun State government under Adeleke is generating government revenue into the private accounts of some individuals against the rules of the civil service?” Lawal asked rhetorically.
According to Lawal: “If the topmost political players in the Adeleke administration are not part of the identified corruption, all those who are directly or remotedly connected with the corruption spree should be handed over to the police.”
He cautioned the governor to sit up and do the needful as what is at stake is a common patrimony which does not belong to a political party or any individual.
“If they are not part of the fraud, they should get Sunday Afolabi and Lekan Salau arrested and prosecuted immediately,” Lawal admonished.
e-SIGNED:
Sooko TAJUDEEN LAWAL, Acting Chairman, Osun State APC.