The political tension in Osun State has escalated as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state government continue to trade words over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The APC, in a press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, dismissed the petition submitted by the Osun State Government to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Governor and Current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Mr Adegboyega Oyetola as “frivolous, dead-on-arrival, and politically motivated.”
The party accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of using the allegations as a diversionary tactic to cover up his administration’s corrupt practices, abuse of power, and failure to uphold transparency.
Addressing journalists, the APC Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, accused Adeleke’s administration of “running a secret-cult government filled with corruption, nepotism, and lawlessness” since assuming office over two years ago.
“The state government under Adeleke has refused to publish key procurement documents on its official website, violating the Osun State Public Procurement Law. Instead of ensuring transparency, contracts are being awarded to Adeleke’s relatives, government officials, and cronies,” Olabisi alleged.
The APC particularly pointed fingers at Adeleke’s elder brother, Dr. Deji Adeleke, claiming he had benefited from state contracts in a manner that contravenes procurement regulations.
“Dr. Deji Adeleke has been entangled in contract racketeering, particularly in the controversial borehole projects. Reports indicate that he secured a borehole project for N14 million, while similar projects under the previous administration were executed for less than N2 million each. Many of these boreholes allegedly do not exist,” Olabisi added.
The party also alleged that the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Akinyode Oyewusi, and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Kazeem Akinleye, had cornered multi-billion-naira contracts despite holding public offices, describing the actions as gross violations of procurement laws.
“The EFCC is already investigating these fraudulent contracts, and we are aware that formal charges are imminent against those who violated their oaths of office. Rather than falsely accusing Oyetola, Governor Adeleke should explain why his officials are enriching themselves at the expense of Osun citizens,” the APC stated.
The opposition party further dismissed Adeleke’s petition to the EFCC regarding the alleged mismanagement of the $20 million Save-One-Million-Lives (SOML) Programme under Oyetola’s administration.
“The World Bank, which funded the SOML project, monitored and ensured its proper utilization. The public can verify how the Oyetola administration utilized the funds. Unlike Adeleke’s government, which refuses to disclose contract details, our administration upheld transparency,” the APC declared.
The party maintained that Adeleke’s allegations were a desperate attempt to distract attention from the recent Court of Appeal ruling that reinstated elected APC local government chairmen and councilors.
In response to the APC’s claims, the Osun State Government dismissed the opposition party’s rebuttal as “baseless propaganda and outright falsehoods.”
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the state government emphasized that the EFCC petition was not politically motivated but based on concrete evidence of corruption under the previous administration.
“The APC’s attempt to dismiss the petition as witch-hunting is laughable. The investigation into the financial dealings of the past administration began in early 2023, leading to the establishment of a Contract Review Committee. The findings exposed large-scale corruption, including the illegal awarding of contracts to family members and cronies without competitive bidding,” the statement read.
The government revealed that a White Paper Committee was subsequently set up, which validated the allegations and recommended prosecution.
“Based on these findings, a White Paper Implementation Committee was inaugurated, and after a thorough review, the legal team compiled a petition, which was formally submitted to the EFCC on March 7, 2025,” the government stated.
The government listed specific cases of financial mismanagement, including: Fraudulent healthcare projects: Contracts for the renovation of 320 primary healthcare centers were awarded without due process, with many handed to political allies and family members of top APC officials.
Illegal contract awards: Companies linked to former government officials received public contracts despite lacking the expertise to execute them properly.
Money laundering: A staggering N1.5 billion was funneled through the Osun chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) between January and October 2022, with large sums withdrawn daily without clear documentation.
The government cited financial records obtained from Zenith Bank, which showed that ALGON funds were diverted into a private account linked to a local government employee, with cash withdrawals ranging from N10 million to N30 million daily.
“A responsible government does not ignore such blatant acts of corruption. The former officials implicated should prepare to answer before the EFCC, rather than hiding behind media statements,” the government said.
Dismissing the APC’s allegations against Governor Adeleke’s relatives, the government challenged the opposition party to provide concrete proof of wrongdoing.
“Instead of misleading the public, the APC should address the clear financial crimes committed under its watch. No amount of propaganda will stop the EFCC from doing its job,” the statement added.
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