A former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Osun State, Adebayo Adeleke, has explained that he resigned as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of a company, The Ice Firms Nig. Ltd., a day after he got appointed as commissioner by former governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola.
Osun State Government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke, had accused Oyetola of breaching due process in awarding contracts to the company and others.
The state government has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Oyetola, accusing the incumbent Minister of Marine and Blue Economy of corruption, misappropriation, and abuse of office.
According to the state government, the petition contained allegations of financial misconduct, money laundering, and brazen violations of the Public Procurement Act, 2007; all allegedly committed under the leadership of Oyetola as governor of the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, disclosed that Adebayo Adeleke, allegedly used The Ice Firms Nig. Ltd. to got contact of renovating 320 primary healthcare centres across Osun and mismanaged the funds.
“Additionally, the investigation uncovered a staggering N1.5 billion laundered through the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) between January and October 2022,” Alimi had claimed.
Reacting while addressing journalists in Osogbo on Monday, Adebayo Adeleke said he resigned as the Chairman/CEO of the company in October 25, 2019, a day after October 24, 2019 when he received his letter of appointment from Oyetola as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
He said he never participated in any of the contracts the company got from Oyetola after his appointment, noting that the renovation of the PHCs that was carried out by his former company was painstakingly done and presented pictorial evidences to back up his defence.
Adeleke maintained that Oyetola did not violate procurement law by awarding contract to the company, saying due process was followed.
The former Commissioner accused Governor Adeleke and his team of witch-hunting him with the “frivolous allegations.”
He also defended the N1.5billion river dredging contract that was undertaken by ALGON during Oyetola’s administration, saying a report from the Auditor General of the state as at that time approved and commended the work done.
Adeleke mentioned that the dredging of the river was a joint contract of local governments at that time and that it was duly approved by Oyetola.
He, again, presented paper document containing pictures to back up his claims.
Also speaking, Osun ALGON chairman, Abiodun Idowu, denied alleged money laundering under his watch, saying that what he met on ground was that awarded projects were executed by cash.
Idowu stated that one Akeem Ibitoye that the state government claimed his account was used to launder the sum of N1.5billion was engaged to assist ALGON in managing money accrued to the association for projects, dismissing allegation of money laundering.
“Since inception, ALGON in Osun has had 6 chairmen before me, the tradition in ALGON which I met was execution of joint project by cash. But we tried to modify a little bit and the modification was engaging a Financial expert to manage the project fund. Hence, we engaged Mr Akeem ibitoye.
“When we came on board, there was no record, no voucher, no written record of transactions for any executed project, I only met the account of ALGON.
“So for me to make a difference, I was thinking of having somebody who could manage our account, so, I went to ALGON general meeting so the matter can be debated on. As at then, we didn’t have any savings, no permanent staff, only few staff. Since we are going to be dealing with cash, we need to have records.
“And since we don’t have money to hire staff on a permanent basis, we have three recommendations out of which we engaged Akeem Ibitoye, because he is a financial expert and a Director of Finance in Ife East Local Government as at that time.
“He is only to track and manage our joint projects, supervise and ensure retirement of records for any transactions. And to the glory of God, he ensured that all our transactions are recorded.
“For your information, our major projects also went through Local Government due process office and we had letters of clearance from the office
“Besides, all our transactions records were submitted to the Auditor-General for local government, hence, the officials report of the office concerning local government activities while we were in office.
“About Akeem running away, I don’t think that is correct, I am aware, he retired from office after completing his years of service. He sent in notice of retirement in August 2023 and the probe committee has started its job then when he retired and later same year moved to join his family abroad. If he is found wanting, what was the committee doing while he was processing his retirement. This is pure witch-hunting,” Idowu said.
