NEW DAWN IN OSUN: Adeleke takes over, freezes state accounts

OSOGBO— A new Sheriff has arrived in Osun State as a new day breaks. Yesterday, PDP senator Ademola Adeleke took the oath of office as governor, and he immediately began making difficult choices.

First, he gave the order to form a panel of inquiry to look into any hurried placements and appointments made by Adegboyega Oyetola, his predecessor. Along with freezing all state accounts immediately, he also ordered that the name of the state be changed from State of Osun to Osun State.

At 11.45 a.m., Senator Adeleke took the oath of office to become the new governor of Osun State.

Justice Oyebola Adepele-Ojo, the State Chief Judge, administered the oath of office to the Governor.

Around 11:20 a.m., the Governor arrived at the Osogbo Stadium location, and Prince Kola Adewusi, his deputy, mounted the podium to take his oath before Adeleke’s turn.

Governor Adeleke moved around the stadium after entering the area, followed by his nephew David Adeleke, alias Davido, to acknowledge cheers from the ecstatic crowd in the main bowl.

The first firm actions Adeleke took.

State of Osun was the new name for the state under the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration in 2011, and the slogan “State of the Virtue” replaced “State of the Living Spring.”

Adeleke, the sixth executive governor of the state, promised to right all wrongs committed by his predecessor in his inaugural speech after being sworn in.

His words: “I, hereby, issue the following directives which will be backed up with appropriate Executive orders:

“Immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions; an immediate reversal to the constitutionally ecognized name of our state, Osun State. All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun State rather than State of Osun, which is unknown to the Nigerian constitution.

To examine Oyetola’s scheduled appointments

Additionally, the Governor mandated the formation of a panel of inquiry to examine the hiring practices of his predecessor from July 17, 2022, until the present.

“My Good People of Osun, since you elected me as your Governor on the 16th of July 2022, which the INEC announced on July 17th 2022, the former Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola maliciously started putting road blocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you.

“Mass employments were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.

“Appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few.

“All efforts to get the Governor set up a Transition Committee and submit hand-over notes in line with best practices proved abortive.

“It is, therefore, my desire to ask for your patience and understanding to give my administration a few weeks to review and sort out all the actions and malicious confusions which the immediate past administration has created since July 17, 2022. Those actions were indeed vindictive measures against the people of Osun State for voting them out of office.

“Immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets; An immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate past administration taken after the 17th July, 2022.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS

In order to make the third tier of government more accountable to the populace at large, Governor Adeleke promised that his administration would guarantee local government autonomy in accordance with Nigeria’s Constitution.

“In line with our campaign manifesto, our government will ensure local government autonomy in line with the provisions of the Nigeria constitution.

“We will restore the lost glory of our local governments in order to make them more responsive to the needs of the people at the grassroots. All policies that are not favourable to the growth of effective local government administration will be reviewed in accordance with the law.

“No form of illegality will be allowed to stand and all acts of impunity committed by the immediate past administration on local government administration will be reversed following due process”, said Adeleke.

I left N14bn in state coffers — Oyetola

The state’s coffers contained N14 billion in cash, according to information provided by yesterday’s former governor, Oyetola.

Oyetola also stated that his government had paid N97 billion of the total debt it had inherited when he took office in 2018.

He stated that since taking office, his administration has kept all of its electoral promises and has not borrowed a single kobo from any country in the world to finance the state’s economy.

His words: “For four years, we did not take any bank loan facility. But we benefitted from the N3billion monthly intervention from the Federal Government to all the states for six months to cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailout accessed by the previous administration, just as we have paid N97 billion from the total debt we inherited in 2018.

“We are leaving behind cash of over N14 billion. In addition to the N14 billion cash, another N8 billion is being expected between December and January from our performance in SFTAS and the IGR. Also, another Seventy-Two million Dollars will come to the State soon from RAMP 3, NG-CARES, Nigeria for Women Project and Ease of Doing Business. These are earned based on performance.”

At the swearing-in ceremony were Atiku, Okowa, Obaseki, Udom, Tambuwal, Ooni, and Ataoja Timi.

To witness Adeleke’s inauguration, numerous dignitaries, including politicians and traditional leaders, descended upon Osogbo.

The PDP’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, its Vice Presidential Candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and the party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, were in charge of the political establishment.

Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Senator Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), and Udom Emmanuel, all PDP governors, were also in attendance.

Others include Senator Bukola Saraki, the former president of the Senate, former Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), and Tony Elumelu.

Traditional leaders, including the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, the Orangun Ila, Oba Wahab Adedotun, and the Orangun Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, among many others, were led to the festive ceremony by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogun

G5 Governors absent

The G5 PDP Governors, however, were not present. The only PDP governor in the South-West, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, did not travel with his colleagues, Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Samuel Ortom of Benue, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

criminals attack police, NURTW members, and Amotekun

While the swearing-in ceremony was going on, some thugs inside the building attacked some members of the Amotekun corps. Stick-wielding thugs surrounded two members of the corps.

Mr. Amitolu Shittu, the state’s Amotekum Field Commandant, confirmed that five of his employees had been attacked there.

Shittu said: “We are aware of the fact that five of my personnel were beaten at the venue by hoodlums for doing their job.”

Additionally, some thugs attacked police officers posted in the vicinity of the former Coca-Cola plant in an effort to seize control of a National Union of Road Transport Workers’ Union unit there.

We’ll support you —Atiku, PDP give

Senator Adeleke was congratulated on his appointment as governor of Osun State yesterday by the PDP Presidential Candidate and members of the PDP Governors Forum in a show of support.

They both welcomed the governor of Osun State and promised to work with him to make his term successful.

Governor Adeleke has joined the ranks of the PDP Governors’ Forum, which is led by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, according to a statement from the director general of the organization, Mr. C.I.D. Maduabum, in Abuja.

He said: “The forum notes that his July 2022 victory at the polls was a testimony to the gallant efforts, hard-work, teamwork, skillful campaigns, efficient resource allocation, openness and humility exhibited by His Excellency over the years.

“At the campaigns, he concentrated on issues that mattered most to Osun people and they in turn responded in kind with their votes, bestowing on him and the PDP an earth-shaking victory of historic proportions. This proves once again that God’s time is the best. He chooses the time and the place.

“This mandate has all the trapping of the love and prayers of the people. The PDP – GF looks forward to a very engaging and prosperous first tenure for Governor Adeleke and enjoin all the people of the state to continue to pray for him, support him with their undiluted loyalty, as his heart is full of love and concern for their wellbeing.

“Today (yesterday), the path has been cleared and light of progress is shinning on Osun State. It is now time for the “Peoples governor, a man so much loved by the people, to settle down to develop a roadmap for the rapid development of Osun State. The state deserves the best.

“Your colleagues, Governors of the PDP and our great party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP pray for divine wisdom and favour, good health and protection as you lead the state as Governor.

“They also assure you of their unalloyed support and brotherly advice always. We welcome him to the PDP Governors’ Forum.”

It’s beginning of a better life for Osun people

In a similar vein, the Atiku/Okowa Campaign asserted that Adeleke’s inauguration heralds the start of a better life for Osun State residents.

Spokesperson for the campaign, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said: “His inauguration sets the stage for the streak of victory of the PDP which will climax on May 29, 2023 when its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will be sworn into office too.

“The people of Osun State are the first beneficiary of the better life which the PDP will be berthing at the national level with effect from May 29, 2023.

“Our campaign commends the People of Osun State for their perseverance in the last four years of pains during which their collectively hard-earned fortunes were ferried to Bourdillon by the ‘Ajele’.

“We celebrate the people of Osun State for asserting themselves and liberating their state from the yoke of anguish, misrule and accompanying pains which the All Progressives Congress, APC, has come to represent in our nation.”

“We urge Nigerians to reinforce the feat achieved by the people of Osun State by remaining steadfast in their resolve to vote in Atiku Abubakar in the February 2023 Presidential election.”

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