Kazeem Akinleye, the Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been enmeshed in alleged breach of office and procurement laws over the N297 million contract of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to the Osun State University.
The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress accused Akinleye of using his office and closeness to Governor Adeleke to fraudulently corner the N297m TETFUND contract at the state-owned university.
The opposition party in the state therefore called for the investigation and prosecution of the Chief of Staff.
In a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, APC argued that Akinleye’s actions “did not conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability” as he allegedly used his position to secure the contract for his company, AKINKAS INTERBIZ LIMITED.
Olabisi said Akinleye’s justification that he resigned from the company as a director on September 1, 2022, shortly after he was appointed the Chief of Staff does not hold water, as the management of the company still revolves around the members of his immediate family.
The APC called on the Code of Conduct Bureau to “invite, investigate and possibly prosecute” Akinleye, citing the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“We appeal to all patriots within and outside the state to rise above political sentiments and speak vehemently against this clear abuse of powers and contravention of the procurement laws of the state,” Olabisi said.
Reacting, Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, described the allegation as malicious, falsehood and an attempt to cause public disorder
Rasheed said the accusation is baseless as the Chief of Staff has not in any way violated any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any other extant laws for that matter.
“Our attention has been drawn to another ridiculous concoction by the All Progressive Congress accusing the Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Kazeem Akinleye of breach of code of Conduct over an alleged TETFUND contract.
“We affirm again that the accusation is baseless as the Chief of Staff has not violated any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any other extant laws for that matter.
“As a public officer, the Chief of Staff has not deployed his office to, in whatever ways; favour himself especially as he is not a member of the governing board of Osun State University or a member of the board of directors of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
“Specifically too, Akinleye has ceased to be a director of the mentioned company long before his appointment as the Chief of Staff and so cannot in any way be held accountable for the business operations of the said company.
“The Chief of Staff has never sat at any meeting or board deliberation where such a contract was determined and is therefore by all accounts not in breach of any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any subsisting laws of the land.
“The defamatory publication is therefore a reflection of what we noted earlier that the state APC has run out of ideas to tackle the superlative delivery of service by the Adeleke government and is now resorting to cheap blackmail and outright fake news.
“We note with disdain the reprehensible desperation of the opposition to destroy the vibrant and world class Osun State University which is running its affairs in line with best practices and in compliance with its establishment laws.
“We equally decry the failed attempt of the opposition to distract the state government of which Akinleye is a critical actor, from its much laudable delivery of good governance and democratic dividends.
“We assert with all evidence that Akinleye has not in any way abused his office as he mainly applied himself to discharging his mandated duties as the Chief of Staff to the Governor which does not include contract awards,” he said.
