The campaign council of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of withholding key documents required for the payment of salaries of local government workers.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued in Osogbo by the Co-Chairman (Print) of the AMBO Governorship Election Council Media Committee, Kola Olabisi.
The APC campaign council claimed that the governor’s actions amounted to the “personalisation of the local government administration in the state,” adding that it was causing hardship and confusion for residents.
“It is astonishing that a governor could deliberately withdraw all the documents from the local government council areas that could enable the Court of Appeal-reinstated local government council chairmen and councillors to effectively fulfil the payment of the salaries and allowances of government workers at the grassroots level and all other auxiliary staff whose lives depend on the salaries.
“It is worthwhile to pointedly tell Governor Adeleke that he could only run, but it would be pretty impossible for him to perpetually hide under the constitutional provision of the immunity clause in the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.
The APC further argued that the governor’s alleged refusal to release the documents was unjustifiable and could amount to an impeachable offence.
“Why must Governor Adeleke continue to hold on to the required documents to pay the salaries of local government staff, an act that, in a saner society, is grossly impeachable?”
In response, the Osun State Chairman of the Accord Party, Victor Akande, dismissed the allegations, describing them as false and politically motivated.
Akande said the claims were a diversionary tactic aimed at shifting attention from alleged mismanagement during previous administrations.
“It is both amusing and shameful that individuals who supervised and benefited from the reckless looting of local government resources in Osun State now seek to blackmail the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke with emotional propaganda and empty noise.”
He maintained that the people of Osun State deserve accountability and development, warning against any attempts to destabilise governance in the state.