BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Some political and social analysts in Osun State have called on the state government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke to desist from making further ‘noise’ about alleged carting away of official vehicles and lotting of assets by immediate past administration of Gboyega Oyetola.
The analysts, while speaking on ‘Rave Gang’ in Osogbo, on Saturday, a radio programme monitored by The Point, bemoaned the alleged looting, but expressed displeasure over the manner the incumbent administration has been handling it.
Rather than issuing threats and statements on a daily basis, the commentators asked Governor Adeleke to constitute a legal team that would institute legal proceedings against former governor Oyetola, his deputy and appointees over the allegations.
The analysts including Ayo Ologun, Kanmi Ademiluyi and Junior Omotosho, said, in their separate remarks that the bickerings between the governor and his predecessor were becoming distractions to the people of the state and that the present administration should charge the culprits to court since they no longer have immunity.
Recall that Adeleke had issued a 72 hour ultimatum to Oyetola and his aides to return the alleged vehicles and other properties in their possessions but since the period elapsed, nothing has been done.
The state government then set up an Asset Recovery Panel to investigate the allegations.
However, the panel said it has concluded its findings, revealing that Oyetola, his wife, Kafayat, ex-deputy governor, Benedict Alabi and other former appointees made away with government vehicles worth N2.9 billion.
The Chairman of the committee, B. T. Salami, through a statement issued by spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, on Friday, gave reports that due diligence was conducted during findings by the panel, directing the affected past officials to immediately return government vehicles presently in their possession.
Reacting, the State chapter of the All Progressives Congress described as untrue the allegation that the former public office holders carted away vehicles worth N2.9 billion and described those making the allegations as “comedians, who are only seeking for ways of mitigating the effect of their embarrassing outings at the Osun Election Petition Tribunal.”
In a statement by the party’s Media Director, Kola Olabisi, the party said all the panels set up by the Government already had their reports even before they were inaugurated.
“For clarity sake, the former governor and his deputy, by law and convention, are entitled to certain privileges and these are well documented. Apart from those vehicles which their offices permit them to take home, they never took any other item.
“As for the commissioners and other appointees who are also statutorily entitled, the governor formally approved their used official vehicles to them as gift for their meritorious service to the state since they are not entitled to either pension or gratuity.
“It is also important to point out that this gesture is not limited to political appointees alone, as in the past, career officers had also been allowed to go home with their used vehicles as gift on retirement for serving the state meritoriously,” the statement read.
