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•Osun owes N407.32bn —Gov Adeleke
•Says Oyetola borrowed N18bn after losing election
•I didn’t borrow a dime, ex-gov insists
•He can’t do such —Oluwo
•Focus on governance, says Olowu-Kuta
By Shina Abubakar, OSOGBO
GOVERNOR Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, and his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday, bickered over the state’s debt profile.
Adeleke, while addressing the Council of Traditional Rulers at the Ministry of Finance building, said the state is indebted to the tune of N407.32 billion, apart from the debt owed local contractors.
The governor added that Oyetola should explain how he spent the N18.04 billion he accessed after he lost the July 16 governorship election.
But Oyetola, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, insisted that the former governor did not borrow a dime during his four years tenure in office, saying Adeleke needs an expert to tutor him on the workings of government to stop embarrassing himself in public.
I inherited 8 outstanding loan facilities—Adeleke
Adeleke said his administration inherited eight outstanding loan facilities, apart from salaries and pension debts, from Governor Oyetola’s administration with a repayment period for the loan facilities ranging from 16 months to about 28 years.
He said: “My good people of Osun state, the total loan stock as of today is N331.32 billion.
“If the N76 billion debt on salaries and pension is added, the state is indebted to the tune of N407.32 billion. The amount owed to contractors is yet to be determined
“The only fund in government coffers, as of Monday 29th November, was for November 2022 Salary. Otherwise, the state treasury was empty. As your governor, I will ask questions on your behalf. And will demand answers.
“Governor Oyetola must explain how the N331 Billion borrowed in the name of Osun State was expended, with no obvious infrastructural development to justify this huge debt.
“Governor Oyetola must explain how the N18 Billion Bridge Loan taken after he lost the election on July 16, 2022, was expended.
“Governor Oyetola must also explain why Osun state is owing salaries and pension to the tune of N76 Billion after collecting a N50 billion Salary Bail Out Loan from the Federal Government.”
I left N14bn in state coffers, never borrowed a dime—Oyetola
But countering Adeleke’s claims, Oyetola disclosed that he did not borrow a dime during his four years tenure, saying the claim by the governor that he borrowed N18.04 billion only exposed his lack of understanding of governance.
The former governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, insisted that he left in the state coffers, N14 billion.
His words; “I insist for the umpteenth time that my principal never took any loan facility for the four years he used in the office. The claim by the new governor shows clearly that he lacks an understanding of how the government is run.
“If you go to my principal welfare address he stated clearly, that like every other state, we benefitted N3 billion on monthly basis for six months from the Federal Government as budget support. This money was given to all 36 states of the country without request. You cannot categorize that as a loan.
“So the new governor does not understand the working of government and he should have allowed those that understand the rudiment to explain it to him. So that he won’t be coming to public to embarrass himself the way he did.
“We also left N14 billion behind. They should tell the people how much they met in the state coffers.”
Oyetola can’t borrow such a loan —Oluwo of Iwo
Meanwhile, speaking at the meeting, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi disclosed that he is not disputing facts presented before the monarchs, but Oyetola as governor cannot borrow such huge debt.
Akanbi said: “Since you said what you presented today is from the Accountant-General, I don’t want to discard it. If somebody has put us in this mess, question him, let’s give room for a fair hearing. I don’t want to jump to a conclusion, but I know Oyetola cannot do much, but if he has done so, according to what was presented today, the former governor should tell us. We deserve to know the truth.”
Face governance, don’t be distracted—Olowu-Kuta
Also speaking, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude urged the Governor to concentrate on governance to deliver his campaign promises.
Oyelude said: “Mr Governor, you need to leave brick-backing to your party and face governance. There are lots of landmines ahead of you, you have to face governance to meet our expectations and your promise of 100 days in office, the days are counting.”
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