THE Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi has denied baseless allegations of financial misconduct levelled by Adebayo Adeleke (Banik), daring the former Commissioner to answer invitations of anti-graft agencies over weighty allegations against him.
In a personally signed press statement, Oluomo Alimi vowed to drag Banik to court for defamation of character and libel, submitting that attempt by Banik to spread the mud would not stop the weighty and documented financial and contract scams now before the anti-corruption agencies.
The full statement by Oluomo Alimi reads as follows:
“Ordinarily,I wouldn’t have again dignified the already jittery and embattled Prince Adebayo Adeleke (a k.a Banik) and his likes, with a response of this nature as a result of yet another spurious and unverified allegations he raised against me as currently being circulated in the social media, today, Thursday, 14th March, 2025.
“However, for the benefit of innocent members of the public who might be misled, the need to counter him for all the baseless allegations raised against me can not be overemphasized.
“To this end, I am using this opportunity to state that Prince Adebayo Adeleke is presently a drowning man, who will use any available opportunity to catch at a straw as a result of the many weighty allegations against him which are in the public domain.
“In order words, Prince Adebayo Adeleke having been exposed to the series of allegations raised against him in form of grafts is currently so desperate to try anything, no matter how improbable, in order to mislead the public on the series of financial allegations levelled against him while holding forth as the Commissioner for Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs in the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
“For the umpteenth times, I, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, is using this opportunity to tell him and others in his sinking ship that, my decision to take him to a competent court of law for blackmailing me is not a threat as any moment from now, he will hear from my team of lawyers who are already working round the clock in that regard.
“Lest I forget to state that, I advise Mr Banik to also stop using ALGON as a smokescreen to attack and malign my person and integrity while I held forth as the Commissioner for Local Govt and Chieftaincy Matters.
“Should Banik, have any concrete evidence/proof that I was involved in any fraud or other allegations of financial impropriety as I had earlier challenged him and made known to the public, he should feel free to approach the anti graft agencies, instead of him engaging in this ongoing needless and fruitless grandstanding in order impugn on my person and reputation.
“It is trite for me to also inform and educate Banik and his co-travellers that, ALGON, is not and has never been an agency of government via the Ministry of Local Government .It is an independent body that operates legally on its own.
“Therefore, spuriously linking me to any malfeasance (if any) by the agency while holding forth as the political head of the Ministry of L.G and Chieftaincy Affairs is a nullity and an exercise in futility .
“As an already sinking ship who is currently under the investigative net of ICPC and other anti graft agencies that will soon invite him for questioning on the series of allegations raised against him, I implore Prince Adebayo Adeleke to toe the path of doing things normal and right by also writing to anti grant agencies with a view to inviting me for questioning rather than the way he has been throwing cautions to the wind of public opinion by resorting to unbridled media trials which will not stand the test of time in the mind of right thinking members of the public.
“ Banik has every right to tell the world that he has sent petitions concerning financial malfeasance against me to the anti graft agencies and I, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, is ready to go and answer the allegations without any let or hindrance.
“Finally, I wish to state that, as former Commissioner for Local Govt.and Chieftaincy Affairs in the administration of His Excellency, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, I was not at any point in time involve in any fraud or contract scam as against Prince Adeleke Adebayo a k.a Banik whose personally owned business entity, ICE FARM NIG.LTD was caught in the web of breaching the Code of Conduct Act and other financial incongruence while he held the reign of political power as a Commissioner in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“I repeat and repeat, Prince Adebayo Adeleke should stop chasing shadows through media trials as the whole world already knows that his attempt to blackmail me is a fruitless effort to divert the attention of the public from the serious allegations levied against him and his gangs”