Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, clashed again yesterday over alleged looting of the state governor's lodge in Abuja, the federal capital territory.
According to Adeleke's spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the State Asset Inventory and Recovery Committee discovered serious asset pilfering during a visit to the lodge.
However, Oyetola's spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, dismissed the allegation as a mere distraction, claiming that Governor Adeleke is unprepared to govern.
"On the physical inspection team was the Chairman of the State Assets Inventory and Recovery Committee, Dr B.T Salam, and other top government functionaries," Adeleke says.
All valuables purchased with public funds by previous administration officials were removed from the lodge. From the main residence to the service flats and up to the boys quarters, clear indications of valuables removed can be observed. Items such as television sets, chairs, foams, electrical fittings, bed sheets, spoons and cutleries, among other valuables were illegally removed from the lodge.
“Every utility vehicles procured for use in the lodge was also carted away from the building. The lodge was in a terrible state and similar to the way we found the Deputy Governor’s quarters and others at the Government House in Osogbo following the brazen looting of that facility.
“Civil servants in the Abuja lodge confirmed the pillaging of state’s asset by Mr Oyetola’s men but said they were powerless in stopping them.That this happened in the Federal Capital Territory is another peep into the gross abuse of office and by officials of the past administration. Those who think we were playing politics with the revelation only just need to see the level of theft of public assets that we found on ground,” he said.
However, Omipidan described the claim by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the Osun Lodge in Abuja was looted by Oyetola’s men as a mere diversionary tactic by the governor to cover up his unpreparedness to govern Osun.
“Recall that when he inaugurated his transition committee in July, one of the terms of reference of the committee was to design for the governor what he would do within his first 100 days in office. And I said clearly then that these people were not ready for governance. We all can see now. It is manifesting.
“First, they alleged it was my Principal who looted. I came up with the inventory and the fact that the new governor’s security operatives took charge of the Government House on November 26 and that by 27, which was the inauguration day, they held a party there. But by December 1, they came up with a lie to say the place was looted. Till date, they have not controverted the facts I laid bare.
“Today, they have started another lie. I say for the umpteenth time that my Principal did not loot any State assets. Therefore, this government should stop these blanket statements of accusing Oyetola and his men of what they did not do and face governance,” Omipidan added.