The government of Osun State has launched a sharp political attack on Bola Oyebamiji, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), outlining 23 reasons it claims make him unsuitable to lead the state.
The allegations were made by the office of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo. The statement comes ahead of the official commencement of the governorship campaign scheduled for March 11.
In the statement, Rasheed said the administration intends to reveal detailed accounts of the accusations once campaigns begin, while offering a preview of the claims to the public.
“The APC candidate has three broad records on which his qualifications, competency, and suitability for the governorship can be assessed. Going by those three spaces, the candidate failed all the tests by all accounts.
“The governor will be opening up details of each of the points from March 11, when the campaigns will officially start. Abridged versions of those reasons are, however, provided below for the public to know: As the head of Osun State Investment Company (OSICOL), the APC candidate mismanaged the resources of Osun State, as evidenced in the handling of state properties in Lagos and Abuja.”
The spokesperson also alleged that during Oyebamiji’s tenure at the state-owned investment firm, mining assets, including the Segilola project, were handled in a manner that deprived the state of its rightful earnings until the current administration renegotiated the terms.
He added: “As Finance Commissioner, he authorised the sale of Osun’s holding at Omoluabi to a proxy firm under a less-than-transparent process. While in the Finance Ministry, he pursued anti-worker measures by supporting the non-payment of pension debts and other entitlements of senior citizens. The APC candidate negotiated and endorsed extreme anti-worker policies by implementing half salaries for workers under the previous administration. As Commissioner for Finance, he retained Chams as payroll manager instead of activating the SIFMIS application for payroll management, thereby exposing the state to payroll fraud and waste.
“As part of his anti-workers’ stance, he supported the decapitation of the public service through the non-appointment of Permanent Secretaries, non-payment of promotion allowances, and the promotion of general anti-labour initiatives.”
Rasheed further claimed the former commissioner also played a central role in financial decisions that allegedly weakened public institutions and programmes.
“Also, as the Finance Commissioner, he was a party and central to the failure of the judicious management of the World Bank $20 million primary healthcare grant, which later became a slush fund under the Oyetola administration. He mismanaged Osun State-owned mining licences, which were almost revoked until the intervention of Governor Adeleke. He supervised capital flight out of Osun State to Lagos State, thereby depriving the state of local content opportunities.”
The governor’s office also alleged that the APC candidate failed to effectively manage the state’s debt profile while in government.
“He failed to sustainably manage Osun’s debt, which was at an all-time high by 2022 until Governor Adeleke reduced the state debt stock by over 40 percent, as attested by the National Debt Management Office.”
Further accusations touched on procurement processes and funding of higher education institutions in the state.
“As Chairman of the Osun Procurement Board, he politicised and bastardised the procurement agency, installed his lackey, and ensured extensive violations of the law in several procurement authorisations.
“He strangulated Osun State University of requisite funding, leading to the abandonment of several critical capital projects that were imperative for sustaining the university’s accreditation in several fields.”
The statement also accused Oyebamiji of divisive campaign messaging and raised questions about aspects of his public records.
“As a candidate, he is not sensitive to the religious diversity of Osun State, as he has demonstrated religious bigotry by pushing religious narratives in election campaigns. Critically, Mr. Oyebamiji has raised questions about his name, antecedents, and qualifications by dropping Munirudeen from his INEC filings.
“Osun people do not deserve a man with all the above antecedents as a governor. Governor Adeleke, by all accounts, has demonstrated the capacity, passion, and innovative mind to take Osun State to even higher heights till 2030.”
The remarks signal an early escalation in the political contest in the state as parties prepare for the upcoming governorship campaign season.
Ademide Adebayo
