Osun APC, PDP clash over NSE/COREN validation visit
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) over their recent validation visit to the state, accusing them of compromising their professional standards.
The visit, which culminated in the presentation of an award to Governor Ademola Adeleke, has sparked a heated exchange between the APC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, the Osun APC Chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, described the visit as “nauseating and offensive to rational reasoning.” Lawal questioned the propriety of the NSE/COREN team, led by Engr. Margaret Aina, awarding Governor Adeleke for Excellence in Infrastructure Development, an accolade initially conferred by the UK branch of the NSE.
“It defies logic that a professional inspection team would be welcomed by the state’s cultural group, an arrangement clearly orchestrated by the state government,” Lawal remarked. “This casts a shadow of doubt over the seriousness of their corporate mission.”
Lawal went further to question the timing and rationale behind the award. “At what point did the NSE and COREN engineers deem it appropriate to bestow an award on the very projects they were supposed to audit? It’s akin to issuing a certificate before conducting an examination—a glaring conflict of interest,” he stated.
He also criticized the quality of the projects under Governor Adeleke’s administration, alleging that contracts were awarded to “fertilizer distributors and cyber cafe operators” rather than qualified engineers. Lawal suggested that the validation visit was an endorsement of substandard work and a cover-up for what he termed “the glaring failure and mediocrity” of the state government’s infrastructure projects.
In response, the Osun State Government condemned the APC’s reaction, describing it as “shameless and morally bankrupt.” The state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, defended the NSE/COREN validation process, calling the APC’s allegations baseless and politically motivated.
“The APC has hit a new low,” Alimi retorted. “The opposition, which oversaw the construction of the substandard Olaiya Bridge, now accuses Governor Adeleke of similar shortcomings in his multi-billion naira infrastructure projects. The NSE’s visit was a technical review, not a political spectacle.”
Alimi explained that the NSE team was received with appropriate courtesies and conducted a thorough technical and field review of the projects over two days. Following the review, the team met with Governor Adeleke, where they confirmed that the projects met global best practices and passed integrity tests. The NSE President reaffirmed the award given by the UK chapter of the NSE after its own extensive technical review.
“The APC’s attempt to politicize a purely technical matter shows their desperation and inability to accept the ongoing successful implementation of the state’s infrastructure program,” Alimi added. “The validation visit has effectively debunked the opposition’s fake news, leaving them in a state of anger and despair.”
The clash between the APC and PDP over the NSE/COREN validation visit reflects the intense political rivalry in Osun State, with both parties seeking to shape public perception ahead of future electoral contests.
