Osun Defender Online Version of September 26, 2021

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 VOL 16 NO 37

Trial Of TOP Leaders Continues Contrary To Governor’s Directive Page 6

Osun @ 30: Knocks As Oyetola Fails To Honour Aregbesola, - Page 2 Adeleke •It Is An Intentional

Insult On Osun PDP •Grow Beyond Petty Politics, Group Tells Gov

Adagunodo Cries Foul On PDP Ward Congress As Bisi Applauds Exercise

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•Alhaja Sherifat Abidemi Aregbesola, wife of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, looking radiant as she celebrates her 61st birthday today.

Community Claims Cholera Outbreak Kills 3, 2 Tested Positive In Osun

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News

Osun @30: Knocks As Oyetola Fails To Honour Aregbesola, Adeleke Our Reporter

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OVERNOR Adegboyega Oyetola of the State of Osun has come under heavy cri cisms and chas sement over what has been described as ‘over poli cisa on and personalisaon’ of the 30th anniversary of the crea on of the State of Osun.

Poli cal analysts who observed the Osun @30 award programme described it as a sham and reflec on of pe y poli cs being played by Governor Oyetola.

The State Government had on Thursday held a 30th anniversary Banquet and Awards Ceremony, where some former military administrators and governors, as well as other notable indigenes of the state were honoured.

However, OSUN DEFENDER noted that the first civilian governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke and Oyetola’s predecessor and erstwhile boss, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola were not honoured.

At the award ceremony, OSUN DEFENDER noted that apart from a minute silence held for Adeleke, nothing was said of him throughout the

programme.

This is just as Aregbesola’s name was not even men oned at all at the programme.

A poli cal analyst, Mr. Johnson Amusan, a legal prac oner said: “Nobody can overrule the contribu ons of those two former governors to the development and growth of the State of

Osun, irrespec ve of their shortcomings. Nobody is perfect.

“We have to stop this poli cs of bi erness. In this age, poli cs of bi erness can never encourage development in any society. For whatever reason, this present administraon should not have ignored Adeleke and Aregbesola.

“Whatever is between the immediate past governor and the current governor, Aregbesola should not have been ignored at all. It is a terrible lapse on the part of the current administra on.

“We call it celebraon of the crea on of the state; it should not be used as an avenue to se le scores for whatever

reasons. It is unfortunate that this administra on lost that opportunity.

Honour should be given to whom it is due.”

According to another poli cal analyst, Oladimeji Iyiola, the refusal of the State Government to acknowledge and honour Adeleke, the first civilian governor and Aregbesola, the first two-term gover-

•L-R, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior, His Royal Highness Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Governor ElRufai of Kaduna State during the sixth edition of the Annual Kaduna Economic Investment Summit on Friday.

Encomiums As Mrs. Aregbesola Clocks 61 Ismaeel Uthman

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RS. Sherifat Aregbesola, wife of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, celebrates her 61st birthday today, Sunday, September 26.

Eminent personali es have taken their me to shower encomiums on the wife of the former governor of the state of Osun and the founder of Sheri Care Founda on (SCARF), a Non-Governmental Organisa on that has been impac ng on the lives of many Nigerians.

A lawmaker represen ng Ifedayo State Cons tuency, Mrs. Elizabeth Abioye, in her congratulatory message, described Mrs. Aregbesola as a wonderful woman, a beau ful sister, a faithful wife and a good mother.

According to Abi-

oye, Mrs. Aregbesola is a not only a pious woman but a responsi-

ble woman with a large heart.

She said: “Mrs. Ar-

egbesola is a cool, calm and collected woman.

She is a pious woman

Symbol’s Quote

“Over the years, I can say without equivocation that it was an angel that came my way in 1981, who I tied the nuptials with in 1983. Her love for me is total and unquenchable. She was tailor-made for me. I believe the feeling is mutual. By the grace of God, she has been a worthy companion and assistant in my journey of life. She has filled me with laughter and joy and she is worth more than the entire world to me”

who has a large heart.

Her lifestyle is worthy of emula on. To say you are an epitome of motherhood and beauty is an understatement. Congratula ons on your birthday, my sister.”

In her birthday comment, Mrs. Abiodun Ogunkanmi, wife of the Deputy Chief Whip of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Mr. Abidemi Ogunkanmi, congratulated Mrs. Aregbesola on her birthday and wished her more prosperous years.

Mrs. Ogunkanmi described the wife of the former governor as a nice and caring woman, one who usually encourages other women to the right path.

She said Mrs. Aregbesola combines beauty, intelligence, good character, humility and friendliness with her religious life.

nor of the state is a polics taken too far by Oyetola.

Iyiola commented that both Adeleke and Aregbesola are in vantage posi on of history in the State of Osun, sta ng that there is no reason for their names to be missing among the awardees.

Commen ng on the programme, a socio-political group, the Osun Progressive-Minded Forum, urged Governor Oyetola to grow beyond pe y and bi er poli cs that have so far characterised his administra on.

The Coordinator of the group, Sunday Oriowo, in an interview with OSUNDEFENDER yesterday, said the refusal of the governor to honour Aregbesola confirmed his group statement that Oyetola is responsible for the crisis within the All Progressives Congress in the state.

According to Oriowo, a governor looking for ways of se ling the crisis within his party would have used the award opportunity to reach out to Aregbesola, and by extension, the people of the former governor of the state.

In a sharp reac on to the award programme, the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the state said it is unpardonable that Governor Oyetola would refuse to honour Adeleke.

According to the opposi on party, Oyetola’s posture on the Osun @30 programme is a reflec on of how parochial he is in administering the affairs of the state.

The PDP, in a statement issued by its Director of Media, Mr. Oladele Bamiji and obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said: “What we had in that commemora on anniversary is a typical of the way the present administra on is handling the affairs of the state, being parochial and hollow in doing things.

“The present administra on, par cularly, the governor sees the state as a personal estate. I expect him to be broader in his thinking and handling of events like this. There wouldn’t have been any kind of state without history. One of the historical events that had taken •Continued on page 6

PEOPLE FIRST

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Review

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A Caring Heart At 61

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A Sourge That Should Have Been History

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t is disgraceful to put it mildly that a country that has earned billions of dollars from the sale of crude oil is s ll ba ling with the scourge of cholera.

Cholera like polio should by now be areas of study for researchers into medical history.

Local authori es across the country must accept responsibili es for cholera related deaths in Nigeria, including that of the three persons reportedly killed in Itagunmodi, Atakunmosa West Central Council Development Area and one person in Kuta, Ayedire Local Government of the state.

The derelic on of duty must end by the local authori es becoming more asser ve and proac ve. In a more edifying era, the health inspectors (Wole Wole) put in a stellar shi .

Health inspectorates must now be revamped na onwide and giving the necessary training and budget alloca on. In addion the food supply chain and markets must also face strict monitoring and enforcement of health standards.

Furthermore, the provision of water must also be giving enhanced budget alloca on.

“The dereliction of duty must end by the local authorities becoming more assertive and proactive. In a more edifying era, the health inspectors (Wole Wole) put in a stellar shift. Health inspectorates must now be revamped nationwide and giving the necessary training and budget allocation” The difficult issue of involving the private sector must now be considered within the context of solving the problem without limi ng access to an already hard pressed popula on.

We must not make the outbreak of cholera a demeaning life threatening annual event, the me to put in preven ve measures including the sanc oning of local authori es derelict in their du es is now.

Open Letter To Governor Adegboyega Oyetola Dear Sir, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park Becoming A Ghe o am constrained by my love for your way of governing my state of origin hence, the need to write this le er as an “open” one, which, at the same me shall be submi ed to your office and appropriate quarters shall be copied.

It is saddening and melancholic that the most beau ful park in the whole Osun, which Osun indigenes in both at home and in the Diaspora have been proud of is gradually becoming a ghe o.

Sir, it is worrisome, gloomy and glum that the most adorable park in the state, which was built with Osun taxpayers’ money can be allowed to be turned to a refuse dumping site and open toilet. Not only this, the larger part of the place is just like a forest. This is absurd!

Your Excellency Sir, in lieu of the contents of the first paragraph of this le er, it is glaring that I appreciate your systemic way of governing the State of Osun and this prompted me to write you as I am reques ng your humble self and good

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office to please look into this ma er as a ma er of urgency in the interest of the Osun populace that have been enjoying the sui generis atmosphere of the park during their leisure.

Sir, I charge you to kindly take the park back to the fold of the State Government as this will also boost the revenue of the state, and I am imploring you to have a robust agreement with Nigerian Railway Corpora on (NRC) in order to prevent any future disagreement between the state and the N.R.C. I shall be grateful if you can swing into ac on in bringing my request to considera on.

I will like to let you know that the World Ins tute for Peace is saddled with responsibili es of promo ng culture of peace, enhancing humanitarian services, preserving peoples’ rights, as well as climate and environmental development.

Yours faithfully, •Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi Execu ve Chairman, World Ins tute for Peace.

Email: wipforpeace@gmail.com WhatsApp: +2349091154748.

“In this way she is complementary to Rauf Aregbesola’s social democratic philosophy of placing the people first”

EOPLE find themselves in the framework of the context of history in ways they will neither have chosen nor par cularly wanted to – To paraphrase Karl Marx. In the span of me, some of the people entrusted into for example the ill defined non - cons tu onal role of First Lady had blatantly exploited it for emo onal enerva on or personal gain.

Argen na’s Evita Peron of the “Don’t cry for me Argen na” fame is a prime example. It will be distrac ng to menon some of those at home.

It read: “We hold the poor, the needy Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola played the role of First Lady for eight years with- and the elderly as well as indigent students as vital components of the popup out a rac ng public opprobrium or a la on and we are convinced a whiff of scandal. that they can an be b posi oned Even though understated erstated herr to make posimatronly caring (the pun is delib-ve contribuerate) demeanour resonates. onates. on to the sociShe showed exemplary emplary ety through our human empathy which hich d e vve l o p m e ntculminated in the essfocused efforts foc tablishment of the improving at development - fotheir health stathe cused non - profit tus, enlightening tus Sheri Care Founand facilitatan da on (SCARF) in ing them on in 2010. The objecsanita on and sa ve was develophygiene to prehy mental, the thrust vent avoidable ve being to render diseases, facilidis care to the less ta ng economic - privileged in opportunity and op a way that their promo ng nustatus would not Alhaja Sherifat Abidemi Aregbesola meracy and culhinder their be- •Born in 1960. tural revival”. coming ac ve posi- •Graduate of Catering and Hotel ManIn this way she agement from the Lagos State Polytechve contributors to is complementary nic. the development of •Professional experience spans indus- to Rauf Aregbesotries including the Hospitality, Print, la’s social demothe society.

The mission Aviation and Education sectors.

•Her effort in the area of sanitation has cra c philosophy statement of the been recognised by the United Nations of placing the Sheri Care founda- Children Fund (UNICEF). She was the people first. This on expresses the only UNICEF Ambassador for CLTS is no fly - in - the (Community Led Total Sanitation) in driving mo va on Nigeria during her tenure as first Lady, - ointment expevery well.

State of Osun. diency as was reflected in the quiet but efficacious manner in which palliaves were distributed durPublisher – Moremi Publishing ing the #EndSARS crisis.

House Ltd. Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman The founda on con nues (0805-121-2204) similarly focused underProduc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa stated work mostly out of Reporter – Yusuf Oketola the public glare as a tesReporter – Kazeem Badmus tament of herself effacing Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere nature without airs.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing There is a lot to admire House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite in a caring heart diligent Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, mother, du ful wife and State of Osun ISSN : 0794 – 8050 community organiser.

Telephone : 0805-121-2204 Wishing her great decWebsite : www.osundefender.com/index.php ades ahead in con nuous e–mail : osundefender@yahoo.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com good health and contentAll Correspondence to the above email Addresses. ment!

OSUN DEFENDER

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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News

Trial Of TOP Leaders Continues Contrary To Oyetola’s Directive Yusuf Oketola

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EADERS of The Osun Progressives of the All Progressives Congress in the State of Osun on Friday appeared before an Osogbo magistrate’s court to stand their trial on the allega on of a empted murder, assault and conspiracy levelled against them by the Police.

It would be recalled that the Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Hon Rasaq Salinsile and former Chairman of the party, Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi, former Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Kazeem Salami, former Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, Com. Biyi Odunlade, former Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxa on, Barr. Gbenga Akano and two members of the APC in Ilesa and Osogbo, Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle respec vely were arraigned before Magistrate Dr. Olusegun Ayilara on August 23, 2021.

The case was adjourned ll Friday, September 24, 2021 for men on.

When the case came up on Friday, defence counsel, Barr. Gbenga Awosode, who led 10 other lawyers informed the court that there was a report that Governor

Adegboyega Oyetola had directed that the case be discon nued.

However, Police prosecutor, Mr. John Idoko, said he was not aware of any move to discon nue the case and he had no direcve to do so.

Awosode therea er, prayed the court to direct the prosecutor to furnish the defence counsel with proof of evidence for the prosecu on of the case.

Magistrate Dr. Ayilara granted the prayer and ordered the Police to supply the proof of evidence to the defence counsel.

Ayilara adjourned the case ll October 22, 2021 for hearing.

Members of the APC stormed the court premises to solidarise with their leaders.

Reac ng, The Osun Progressives (TOP), expressed sincere gra tude to all members of the party who came to support the “Osun APC/TOP 7” at the court.

The group, in a press statement by Adebiyi, said the trial has shown the clear path in which the Oyetola government had taken which is contradictory to the false reconcilia on story they are mouthing to the public to gain undue

• Speaker, State of Osun House of Asssembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye receiving an award of Akoni Kunrin Oodua Speaker of the year 2021 by Yoruba Heritage Leadership Award Platform. Presenting the award is Pa. Peter Fatomilola. the originators of the suit to lara on of discon nuance sympathy.

OSUN DEFENDER re- withdraw it, but TOP notes by the Governor. Mr. Govcalled that Oyetola was that it would have been ernor’s direc ve is a mere reported on August 24 most fair to have the trial face-saving because they to have directed the APC for the purpose of clearing know that the frivolous Chairman, Prince Gboyega our leaders of the poli cally case cannot be proven in Famodun, to discon nue mo vated allega ons made court. the case against the party against them.

“If our party, APC, is “We are convinced that chie ains, a move TOP dethe obnoxious tag of thugscribed as face-saving.

TOP, in its reac on to gery which they tried to Oyetola’s direc ve, said: affix on our leaders could “We have informa on that only be repelled by the trial Governor Oyetola has asked court and not a simple dec-

Community Claims Cholera Outbreakoutbreak Kills 3, 2 of the disease.

In the press statement Oladapo also comTested Positive In Osun signed by Mr. Alapa Oladapo mented that the cholera Ajayi Folaranmi

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O fewer than three persons were reported to have been killed by cholera disease in Itagunmodi, Atakunmosa West Central Local Council Development Area (LCDA), State of Osun.

Two other members of the community also tested

posi ve to cholera according to a press statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER by the Itagunmodi Progressive Youth Forum yesterday.

But the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, said the government was not aware of the cholera outbreak in the area.

Clinton, the Assistant Secretary of Itagunmodi community, the group called the a en on of the local government authority to the cholera outbreak, urging it to take urgent step.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that Itagunmodi is a dirty and unkempt community and there is no access to quality water, which is majorly responsible for the

Osun @30: Knocks As ...

•Continued from page 2 place in this state is that there had been other governors before him.

“So, one will expect someone in the class of the present-day governor of the state to be wider in reasoning, especially in handling such an event.

The late Governor Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was the first civilian governor of the state. So, he had a pride in the history of Osun State.

“So ordinarily, one will expect, with commonsense that someone who played a part in the affairs of the state would be at the utmost priority; at the top of whatever list the Governor put together

towards that 30th commemora on.

“Omi ng the name of the first execu ve governor of the state is a proof of the kind of person Mr. Oyetola is.

We always say that he has a mindset of a person on a business trip to a par cular market. So, Osun is like a market to him. We call on the governor to be gubernatorial in thinking.

“What the Governor has done is unpardonable to the good people of Osun. Osun State is everybody’s affair. For the present Governor to have le out Adeleke’s name is unpardonable. It is an inten onal

insult on the historical event of our dear state and I hope the Governor would retrace his step.

“A governor at mes should move out of the hollow comfort zone of poli cal reasoning; you have to be a kind of statesman, gubernatorial and behave like father of all. We understand that of his former boss, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; that is another laughable thing. Why should that happen?

That is the person that gave him the baton to be where he is today.

So, it means this present Governor is chronically parochial.”

outbreak is traceable to the un dy environment since the invasion of gold miners in the community.

According to him, Itagunmodi was a hygienic environment un l the invasion of Northerners, who were in the quest for greener pastures through mining interests.

He said: “The people here did not have access to good water. The en re community is crying for help on portable water. Mining acvi es have spoilt the well and stream water that we have.

“It saddens that we found ourselves in this horrible situa on as most of the happenings in this part of the state don’t get to the media space.”

He called on the local government council authority to assist the community in rehabilita ng the water system, saying the lack of portable water is a hos le contributor to the poor health systems in the community.

Cholera is caused by the vibrio cholera bacterium through inges on of contaminated water or food usually marked by severe gastrointes nal symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and dehydra on.

being managed the way it should, the crisis would not have go en to this current situa on. We have said it, and we will con nue to say it that the party is derailing.

“While we acknowledge resolu on of the crisis which was brought on the party by impunity and raw show of power by our government and the outgoing party leadership, we are assured that we are not daunted or bowed as we are commi ed to the objec ves for which we exist, that is the reforma on of Osun APC which fortune has dwindled appreciably in the last few years.”

Contrary to Oyetola’s direc ve, the case was not discon nued, which raised a poser on the coordina on of the Governor’s team and its synergy with the party.

If the government is interested in a case, the Ministry of Jus ce will take it over from the Police and decide either to con nue or discon nue the case.

But such did not happen in the case of the TOP leaders.

Adagunodo Cries Foul On PDP Ward Congress As Bisi Applauds Exercise

•Bisi

•Adagunodo

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out to carry out a script.

Adagunodo said: “When the panel arrived, we held a mee ng and we told them that the panel could not be trusted. Two members of the panel are Unche Secondus’s personal persons. One of them is Secondus’s Secretary while the other is his brother.

Secondus created the crisis we have in Osun PDP, so the panel could not be fair to us and we let them know that.

“In conclusion, they did their own congress and we held a separate congress too.”

But Bisi, in his reac on, said the exercise went well, adding that he was not aware of any parallel congress in the state.

Bisi said: “The congress went well and the congress commi ee was fair to everybody. I am not aware of any parallel congress. If Adagunodo says he held a parallel congress, ask him where he held it.”

T is safe to say that all is not well with the two major poli cal par es in the State of Osun, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposi on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The lingering crisis in the PDP has resulted to fresh controversies on the conduct of the Ward Congress, with members of the party who belong to Hon. Soji Adagundo’s group claiming to have held parallel congress.

Both Adagunodo and Bisi have been laying claim to the chairmanship posi on of the PDP in Osun.

But the Na onal Working Commi ee of the party recognised Bisi as Chairman of the party and directed the Ward Congress Commi ee to relate with him.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on the congress, Adagunodo accused the panel of compromise, saying that members of the party were

PEOPLE FIRST

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Oyetola Received $20m Grant Processed

By Aregbesola - Dr. Bolorunduro •Reels Out Facts, Figures on Osun Finances Under Former, Present Govs •Says Govt. Insincere On Loan Repayment Kazeem Badmus

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HIS report is an excerpt from the remarks of Dr Wale Bolorunduro, former Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning in the State of Osun.

The financial expert served in the first term of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola with the current Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola as the Chief of Staff then. He made some expository comment about the Aregbesola and Oyetola’s administra on at the last Thursday mee ng of The Osun Progressives, a caucus of the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Dr Wale Bolorunduro has explained how it is easy for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administra on to con nue paying salaries of workers of the state without stress and while the introduc on of modulated salary was necessary in the second term of Aregbesola.

Speaking to fact and figure, Bolunduro said: “The salaries paid by Aregbesola are different from the one being paid by the current regime of Oyetola. If you look at the audit account the government presented last Monday, it is claimed a sum of N28.7 billion is the annual wages of civil servants in the state. Let us even say they used N29 billion to pay civil servant in a year. If you divide that by 12 months, it amounts to N2.4 billion. Anybody who knows about Government Accoun ng will know that such amount does not include pensions. So, all the salaries the Oyetola’s administra on is paying, including pension, is not more than N2.9 billion in a month.

“During Aregbesola’s era, 20,000 OYES Cadets were being paid salaries amoun ng to N200million.

If we add that to the N2.9 billion earlier calculated, it gives us N3.1 billion. The salaries being paid by Aregbesola every month was nothing less than N3.4 billion then. Aregbesola first employed 5,000 people into the civil service. He later employed another 3,000 people.

“We all know that what the states in Nigeria depend on is the federal alloca on from the sale of crude oil.

•Oyetola

•Bolorunduro

The money being made from crude oil started to reduce in 2013. It reduced in 2015 and 2016 from 75 dollar per barrel to 40 dollars. That was the reason Aregbesola could no longer pay full salaries to some civil servants in the state then.”

Speaking on the current posi on of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, the former commissioner said: “The current government claimed its revenue for a year is N99 billion. If we divide that by 12, that gives us N8 billion in a month. Aregbesola did not collect such amount during his second term. Even during his first me, our revenue was not more than N72 billion.

“Also, the Internally Generated Revenue of the state has gone up because of all the plans that Aregbesola had put in place during his tenure. Aregbesola ought to be commended for the improvement in the IGR because he laid the founda on for it. The Oyetola’s administra on is reaping Aregbesola’s effort. “When we resumed office, Osun was genera ng N3.6 billion annually but as at the me Aregbesola was leaving office, Osun was making N13.8 billion annually. I am talking from a posi on of fact.

Finance, Economic Planning and Budget were under me then.

“I am the one who wrote that the approval of all cheques and vouchers must pass through the Chief of Staff, Mr Oyetola who is now the Governor. There is no file that would not pass through the Chief of Staff then, including my own files. Only two people don’t pass through our Chief of Staff then; the Deputy Governor and the Secretary to the State Government.”

On the debt profile of the state, Bolorunduro said: “The current administra on some mes last month first claimed that it had paid N55 billion on debts. Last week, the government also claimed to have paid a debt of N67 billion. I sent an email to the incumbent Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji where I advised him to check those figures but he failed to respond to my mail. A er four days, I sent another email and told him the amount of debt le by Aregbesola.

“When I first resume as a commissioner, the government had already borrowed N25 billion from First Bank and the person who wrote the le er and forwarded it to me is the incumbent Governor, Oyetola. So, if we are talking about debt, there is nobody in Aregbesola’s cabinet who can feign ignorance.

“We have external debt which includes the one obtained by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the government of old Oyo state to do some projects back then. Also, Oyin-

lola collected N18.38 billion. Aregbesola also obtained loans to build some infrastructures. We all can tes fy to the fact that Aregbesola is the one who gave Osun State most especially Osogbo a new look.

“Aregbesola paid 85 per cent from the first bond and 75 per cent from the second bond before he le office.

At least, he repaid up to N25 billion as debt he incurred during his first term. He collected a conven onal bond of N30 billion and that have been paid off since July 2019.

Oyetola paid nine months out of 84 months. It shows Aregbesola has paid most of the money before he le . The second tranche was the Sukuk loan used for the construcon of those mega schools in Osun.

Aregbesola saved N15 billion for Local Government Councils and borrowed N10 billion to it making N25 billion which was used for the construc on of 10km roads in each of the local governments of the state Before we gave the commercial loan to the Federal Government, Aregbesola had already paid N15 billion out of the money.

During his second term, Aregbesola repaid a total sum of N102 billion as debt.

“The first tranche finished in July, 2019 and the second tranche finished in March, 2020. In April, 2020, the Federal Government stopped deduc on of loan service from the state due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The deduc on amounts N400million in a month but the FG granted relieve for the states since April 2020.Out of the 33 months, CBN only removed 17 months. So, those bringing out the figures on debt repayment should remember that.

“The current regime is boas ng of paying full salaries due to the fact that federal alloca on has risen and the money being paid back as loan has reduced. Also, the IGR of the state has increased due to the work done by Aregbesola.

“So, I am wai ng for the reply of my email before I comment on the figure being circulated by the state government.

“Governance is about doing the needful. Aregbesola adjusted Osun Civil Servants salaries scale three mes during his first term. That was in 2011, 2012 and 1013.

Even with the modulated salary structure, Aregbesola did not stop the promo on of civil servants. So, those claiming he stopped civil servants promo on are liars.

“During Aregbesola’s second term when oil price came down, he set up a commi ee to look into how to address the financial crisis. The commi ee had labour leaders as members and it was headed by Comrade Hassan Sunmonu and the then Chief of Staff, Oyetola. The

commi ee concluded that instead of retrenchment, the modulated salaries structure should be taken.

Again, Oyetola was the representa ve of government then.

Bolorunduro listed some of the projects which the loans obtained by Aregbesola’s administra on were expended on.

He said: “These are some of the things done with the money borrowed

by Aregbesola and being enjoyed by the current Government 1. Renova on of Comprehensive Hospital in Ijebu Ijesha and Ila. A er renova ng these hospitals, we applied for Saving One Million Lives Grant from the Federal Government.

The grant is $20million and Governor Oyetola is the one who collected the money but refused to make it open.

2. Central Bank of Nigeria wanted to take over Omoluabi Mortgage Bank from us unless we put some money there and there was no money in the state. We had to borrow some amount to put into the bank and that is the reason the bank is s ll ours today. We borrowed N2 billion to li that bank and before Aregbesola le office, the worth of that asset was N5 billion. Oyetola’s government has sold some shares worth N2 billion in that bank now.

3. Aregbesola built some buildings in UNIOSUNTH formerly LAUTECH and equipped them. This gave the hospital the platform to do some things it was unable to do before.

Den stry was not done in the hospital before. We borrowed N500 million to equipped that hospital.

4. When we resume office, Baba Awolowo had some assets which we met and there was a par cular shares bought by Oyinlola through loan and that is Zenith shares. Oyinlola was unable to pay the money, so, AMCON collected the shares, claiming we owed N1.5 billion. Aregbesola begged and paid N600,000 to take back that shares. If they add that shares with one we met and sell it today, it will be up to N3.5 billion.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 VOL. 16 NO 37 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

News Oyetola Received $20m Grant Processed By Aregbesola - Dr. Bolorunduro Page 7

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