Adeleke and Osun APC are at odds over the commissioning of Ilesa road project

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State claims that Ademola Adeleke’s administration has been employing dishonesty to manage the affairs of the state.

Additionally, the Osun APC warned Governor Adeleke against obtaining unjustified favours from the gullible state citizens.

The party charged the state governor with asking his counterpart from Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to commission a road in Ilesa in a statement signed by Tajudeen Lawal, the party’s chairman, and acquired by OBASANJO NEWS24 on Thursday.

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The party disclosed that the road in question, which was entirely funded by an individual, Rasheed Sarumi, an Ijesa man, was contracted under the pretence that it was a result of Adeleke’s most recent Tax Credit Initiative.

According to Lawal, “The recent shenanigans in Ilesa, where it adopted to play a fast game on the people of Osun State over projects entirely sponsored by a private individual, Mr. Rasheed Sarumi of Ilesa, is unpleasant reminder of how low government has fallen under the kick-and-start governor.

It is disappointing that Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson would claim falsely that several ambitious projects that Governor Godwin Obaseki travelled from Benin to commission were a result of Governor Adeleke’s most recent Tax Credit scheme. A decent administration should not have ever considered promoting this reckless untruth.

But regrettably, no falsehood is too humiliating, obscene, or reckless for Governor Adeleke to glamorise in his desperate attempt to counteract the unfavourable public opinion of both himself and his administration.

“Ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola was the inspiration for the tax credit programme as it relates to the Ilesa projects. During his administration, it was conceived and put into action.

In reality, the projects were divided into two phases, with the first phase completely finished and the second phase 60% complete as of the time the former governor left office on November 26, 2022.

While acknowledging that government is a continuum, Lawal said there is ample photographic evidence of former Governor Oyetola’s Works Commissioner on the scene, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, that proves without a doubt that Governor Adeleke blatantly lied about the beginning of the road contract.

In response, Governor Adeleke said through his spokeswoman Olawale Rasheed that the state government has built more than 55 km of roads and is inviting private citizens to join the effort to close the state’s infrastructure gap.

Rasheed claimed that the businessman invited Governor Adeleke to officially open the road and that no assertion was ever made that the state government had built it.

“At the road’s opening, Governor Adeleke praised Mr. Sarumi for his volunteer work in the community and invited other privileged persons and state residents to follow in Sarumi’s footsteps.

At the commissioning, the governor emphasised that Sarumi is a role model that other business leaders in the state should aspire to, a view shared by the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki.

“How is the state governor honouring a renowned Osun citizen who is giving back to society a crime? Over 55 km of roads have been built by Governor Adeleke, and another 45 kilometres are now under construction. Projects that do not belong to the administration have not been claimed by the government, and they will not be.

Is the APC claiming that by empathising with the Sarumis and others, the governor should not have urged them to embrace community development? The current administration is working to close the infrastructural gap, so it won’t be sidetracked by a party that performed abjectly during its time in power.