The outgoing Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, has referred to the governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, as an ‘incurable propagandist’ over the latter’s allegation that he was making plans to divert the government’s assets for private acquisition.
Adeleke had defeated Gboyega at the recently held governorship election in Osun, scoring 403,371 votes while the governor got 375,027 votes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in 17 of the 30 Local Government Areas of the state.
In a statement on Thursday, Adeleke’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, accused Oyetola’s appointees of looting the state’s properties under the governor’s supervision.
“We have it on good authority that Osun state assets within the state, Kogi, Lagos, Abuja and outside the country are being tampered with for private acquisition,” Adeleke had alleged.
But reacting through the Osun Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, Governor Oyetola urged citizens of the state to ignore the governor-elect’s “fake lamentations”.
Egbemode advised Adeleke to start planning toward delivering his electoral promises to the people instead “peddling lies and propaganda” to earn public sympathy.
“We know where Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governor-elect, is coming from, and the world also knows the antecedent of the incumbent governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, the hardworking leader, who has served the people of Osun State meritoriously. He does not have the background of pilfering or misappropriating funds. The records are there for verification.
“We have seen the press statement that is in circulation from the camp of Senator Ademola Adeleke, poisoning the public with lies and raising false alarms just to heat up the polity, of the state, as is their practice.
“We did not take any N17 Billion loan to prosecute the election, just as no government official has embarked on any looting or diversion of any government assets/property as being claimed by the PDP.
“Those who are suddenly realising the enormity of governing a state like Osun should own up to their fears rather than making laughable allegations. Oyetola has creatively managed the assets of the state in the last three-and-a-half years and has picked all the bills of the state without taking loans. Why would he start taking loans at this time?
“Oyetola’s government remains a responsible one that has discharged its duties meritoriously, to the admiration of fellow governors, including those in the opposition.
“It is time for Mr. Adeleke to tell the people how he intends to govern them rather than trying to blame everyone but himself for his fears. Given his admiration for his newly-learnt expression, “fact check”, we extend a call to Mr. Adeleke to show evidence of pilfering or looting to the people of Osun to prove that he is a man whose words have atoms of believability.
“Governor Oyetola already has a reputation, Mr. Adeleke is the one trying to build one for himself. It is a more strategic option to build in silence.
“We are calling on the people of Osun to ignore the fake lamentations of the incurable propagandists. Governor Oyetola has done well thus far and he will continue to do right by the people,” declared the commissioner.