By Oludamisi Ojo
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has vowed to probe his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola on the debt profile of the State. He said the State is indebted to the tune of N407.32 billion if the N72 billion debt on salaries and pension arrears are added to the total loan stock of N331.32 billion.
The governor stated this yesterday during a meeting with the council of Oba presided over by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Highlighting the account of the State’s debt profile, governor Adeleke said the former governor “must explain how the N331 billion borrowed in the name of Osun State was expended, with no obvious Infrastructural development to justify this huge debt.”
“Governor Oyetola must explain how the N18 billion Bridge Loan taken after he lost the election on July 16,2022, was expended.
Governor Adeleke who also accused the immediate past administration of taking loans from commercial banks, questions such loans given beyond its administration lifespan.
He said “The creditors, especially the commercial Banks must explain why various loans were given to an administration beyond its 4years tenure. The 28 years is equivalent to the tenure of at least four governors. A child that is born today would have earned a PhD at 28 years of age.”
Responding, the chairman of Osun Council of Oba and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi commended the governor for bringing the matter before the traditional rulers.
He, however, urged the governor to avoid distractions and face governance as much as he’s trying to ensure accountability, a position that other traditional rulers also shared.
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Speaking, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi who differed in his opinion said he would not dispute the figures that were reeled out but still not aversed to accountability but he doubted if Oyetola would be culpable.
He said “I would not support the opinion that the governor should not look into those figures as presented to him by the Account General of the State.
There must be accountability as this would help to know whether it is true or false. But for me, I don’t think and I don’t believe Oyetola can do such things”.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, have resumed hostility over the state’s debt profile, with Oyetola stating that he left N14 billion in the state coffers.
The former governor also said that his successor does not understand governance, so is making embarrassing statements in public.
Meanwhile, Adeleke, while addressing the council of traditional rulers at their monthly meeting at the Ministry of Finance Building, said the state is indebted to the tune of N407.32 billion apart from debt owed local contractors.
However, Oyetola in a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, insisted that he did not borrow a dime during his four years tenure in office.
He added that Adeleke needs experts to tutor him on the workings of government in order to stop embarrassing himself in public.
Former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola disclosed that he did not borrow a dime during his four years tenure, saying the claim by Adeleke that he borrowed N18.04 billion only exposed his lack of understanding of governance.
Ismail Omipidan insisted that his principal left in the state coffers N14billion while leaving office.
His words: “I insist for the umpteenth time that my principal never took any loan facility for the four years he used in the office.
“The claim by the new governor shows clearly that he lacks understanding of how the government is run.
Omipitan further disclosed that despite leaving such an amount of money behind yet his November salary has not been paid and some other people are yet to be paid as well.
