From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Olawale Rasheed, has denied the allegation that the state is expending N400 million on domestic running costs every month.
Rasheed in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo, on Tuesday, described the claim by the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, as “unfounded, defamatory and reprehensible.”
He said the APC scribe is embittered because he failed to secure a return to the National Assembly.
“There is no iota of truth in the careless and ill-thought-out statement as the Governor is not drawing any domestic running cost from the government coffers. It is a shameful concoction from a troubled mind who is still bitter about his electoral loss.
“As a man of due process, the Governor operates within the bounds of public finance regulations. He forgoes the usual security vote as a deliberate demonstration of his readiness for selfless service to the Osun people. We take strong exception to an intentional fabrication of lies against a Governor whose popularity and performance rating are above eighty-five percent.
“We advise the defeated politician to redeem his ways as his unholy crusade against the performing Governor of Osun State is daily deepening his isolation from the people of Osogbo, his hometown. As Mr Governor is transforming Osogbo and Osun state as a whole, the grassroots even within Mr. Bashiru’s ward are angry that a failed senator is casting aspersion on a great benefactor of Osogbo and Osun people.
“We affirm that Governor Adeleke is transparently running Osun state and is not drawing any domestic running cost as condemnably asserted by the APC Chieftain,” Rasheed said.