Ghost workers’ scandal shows failure of Adeleke government, says APM candidate

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in the 2026 Osun State election, Adewale Adebayo, has described the alleged N13.7 billion ghost workers’ fraud uncovered in the state civil service as a vote of no confidence by Governor Ademola Adeleke in his own administration.

Adebayo made the claim in a statement issued to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday, following revelations by the Chief Executive Officer of Sally Tibbot Limited, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, that thousands of ghost workers were discovered on the state payroll after a verification exercise commissioned by the government.

He said the findings expose what he called a serious failure of governance and accountability under the Adeleke administration.

The APM governorship candidate also expressed concern that the government was allegedly protecting those implicated in the ghost worker scheme, claiming that the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Kazeem Akinleye, threatened the consultant who demanded implementation of the report.

Adebayo argued that if the administration indeed discovered that more than N13.7 billion was being paid annually to non-existent workers and that salaries meant for thousands of staff were allegedly diverted to a single individual, it raises serious questions about how such a financial leak could persist without decisive action.

He added that the revelation confirms that the administration has been presiding over a deeply compromised payroll system and warned that mere disclosure without transparent prosecution and recovery of funds would amount to politicising a grave financial crime against the people of Osun State.

Adebayo challenged the state government to publish the full details of the audit or provide a counter-narrative to identify all those responsible for the alleged fraud and ensure appropriate legal action is taken to recover every kobo siphoned through the ghost worker scheme.

He maintained that the development highlights the urgent need for a new leadership direction in Osun State, stressing that the APM under his leadership would implement a transparent digital payroll system and institutional reforms to eliminate corruption, strengthen accountability, and ensure public funds are used strictly for the welfare of genuine workers and the development of the state. He assured the people that the APM remains committed to restoring integrity, transparency, and responsible governance ahead of the 2026 governorship election.