Osun Govt, APC clash over alleged procurement violations, money laundering

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are engaged in a heated dispute over alleged violations of procurement processes and money laundering during the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

The State Government has accused the Oyetola-led administration of breaching the Public Procurement Act by awarding contracts to unqualified individuals and companies.

In a statement to journalists in Osogbo, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, mentioned that during Oyetola’s administration, there was a special health intervention fund of Twenty Million US dollars ($20,000,000.00), which was a grant from the World Bank.

Alimi stated, “In flagrant violations of the clear provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola did not call for bidding as mandatorily required under the PPA, nor did he allow competition that would have afforded the State the best-qualified contractors to handle the projects.

“Instead, the former Governor awarded contracts to individuals who were either his associates, heads of government agencies, proxies, or political appointees who claimed to have incorporated business names or inactive companies. Many of these enterprises to which contracts were awarded do not have construction as their primary business focus; they include food vendors, salon operators, supermarket owners, web designers, and others in similar categories.”

On the issue of money laundering, Alimi accused the Association of Local Governments Nigeria (ALGON) of embezzling N1.5 billion. However, ALGON Chairman Hon. Abiodun Idowu denied the allegations, emphasizing that all projects underwent rigorous due process through the Local Government due process office and that all transaction records were submitted to the Auditor-General for Local Government.

In response, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, a former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during Oyetola’s administration, accused Alimi of bias against Oyetola and criticized the current administration for lacking accountability and respect for the rule of law.

Adeleke clarified that he was not a commissioner at the time contracts were signed. He stated, “They alleged that a company owned by Prince Abdul-Yekeeni Adebayo Adeleke ICE FIRM NIG. LIMITED received some contracts; luckily they didn’t say we didn’t do the work. They claimed that as a commissioner I should not have received those contracts. Alimi alleged that I signed the letter of acceptance on behalf of ICE FIRM NIG. Yes, I was the CEO and MD of that company at that time on September 3rd, 2019. I was appointed commissioner on October 24th, 2019, and I resigned from the company on October 25th, 2019.”