Osun APC faults Adeleke’s governance, cites revenue mismanagement

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has criticized Governor Ademola Adeleke’s two-year administration, accusing it of failing to deliver tangible development and infrastructure despite substantial revenue inflows.

At a press conference held in Osogbo on Thursday to mark Adeleke’s second anniversary in office, the APC’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, described the administration as “motion without movement,” alleging that it has not improved the lives of the people of Osun State.

Olabisi detailed the revenue received by the state government, noting that from January 2023 to September 2024, the Adeleke administration received a total of N385 billion from federal allocations, grants, and internally generated revenue (IGR). This figure included N4.3 billion from UBEC and N1.3 billion from TETFund grants for education infrastructure in 2023.

“Federal allocation has doubled since the removal of fuel and forex subsidies by the federal government, yet there is no commensurate improvement in the state’s infrastructure and development,” Olabisi said.

He added that by the third quarter of 2024, Osun had already received N153 billion in federal allocations, exceeding the projected N99 billion for the entire year by N50 billion. Despite this windfall, Olabisi accused the administration of failing to adequately fund key sectors of the economy.

He highlighted discrepancies in the budget performance, stating that only N39 billion (47%) of the N82 billion earmarked for personnel costs had been released as of September 2024. Similarly, of the N20.5 billion budgeted for pensions and gratuities in 2024, only N4.8 billion (less than 20%) had been released, while no funds were allocated for arrears.

Olabisi dismissed Adeleke’s claims of offsetting pension backlogs as “a lie from the pit of hell,” asserting that official records do not support such claims.

On education, Olabisi labeled the administration an “irredeemable failure,” citing the dismissal of 1,500 teachers hired by Adeleke’s predecessor without replacement. He further criticized the state’s performance in agriculture, alleging that a lack of political will and strategic planning has contributed to food insecurity in Osun.

“There is acute food shortage in the state because the government lacks the commitment to formulate effective agricultural policies,” he said.

Olabisi also accused the administration of prioritizing expenditures on the Governor’s Office, claiming that N2.1 million was spent on a single laptop and N3 billion was allocated to purchase 20 Land Cruiser Jeeps for political allies.

“The only sector that has been adequately funded is the Office of the Governor. The two years of Governor Ademola Adeleke have been a motion without movement, with no impactful efforts to drive the people out of poverty into financial prosperity,” Olabisi concluded.