Oyetola, Adeleke at daggers drawn over appointment of 15 new permanent secretaries

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun State Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke has called on Governor Gboyega Oyetola to shelve the plan by his government to appoint 15 new permanent secretaries in the twilight of the expiration of his tenure in office.

Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, on Monday noted that the incoming governor has the right to determine the team he will work with and not the outgoing governor.

But the Oyetola-led government in a swift reaction informed Adeleke that whatever actions or decision taken by Oyetola is covered by the laws of the land till midnight of 26th November, 2022.

The Governor-elect, however, warned senior bureaucrats not to accept any offer that could end their career.

The statement reads: “Reliable reports from the Government House showed that the governor is already compiling names of his loyalists he planned to appoint as permanent secretaries. In fact, the plan is at the advanced stage as the appointees may be announced any moment from now. 

“We note that Oyetola has been running the government with just about nine permanent secretaries for the past three and half years. How he came about the idea of increasing the number at the twilight of his administration’s tenure is still not clear. 

“As an outgoing governor, it cannot be good intention for you to appoint critical officials like permanent secretaries when a new leader is about to take over the administration of the state. 

“The incoming governor has the right to determine the team he will work with. It should be clear that predetermining the makeup of incoming government is an effort in futility. 

“The outgoing governor’s decision is therefore in bad taste and a continuation of current efforts to destabilise the incoming administration. 

“We want to put it on records that the Adeleke administration from November 27th, 2022 will re-assess the state of the bureaucracy with a view to enforce due process and ensure appropriate placement of senior personnel into various positions through an open, transparent, competitive, and merit based process in the best interest of the state.

“We therefore call on Governor Oyetola to shelve the plan as it amounts to exercising appointive power not only at the wrong time but at a time the electorate has anointed a new leader. 

“We also call on senior bureaucrats not to accept any Greek gift that may end up hurting their career. To be forewarned, is to be careful!”

However, the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Sunday Akere while reacting to the PDP statement said: “It is unfortunate that the PDP seems not to know what is right to what is wrong. For goodness sake the first term tenure of Governor Gboyega Oyetola ends on midnight of 26th November, 2022 and whatever actions or decision taken by the governor is covered by the laws of the land.

“PDP should wait for their turn if any and allow us to deliver on the mandate given to us by the people of Osun State.”