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•NNPP criticises Adeleke, APC queries position of gov’s brother in govt
• Govt denies wrongdoing
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Reactions have continued to trail the revelation of an alleged annual N13.7 billion payroll fraud rocking the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, as disclosed by the Vice Chairman (Chief Executive Officer) of Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, Saadat Ottun.
The claim by the firm has generated reactions as the All Progressives Congress queried why the report of the investigation was submitted to the elder brother of Governor Adeleke, Deji, as claimed by the firm on a national television.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, on Friday, the APC Director of Media and information, Kola Olabisi, challenged Governor Adeleke to state the position of his elder brother in the government and explain why the report was given to him while the governor was sitting down.
“The alleged complicity of Dr Deji Adeleke and of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, alongside other key members of the governor’s inner circle, raises serious concerns that non-state actors and those not known to law collude with characters entrusted with the administration of the state over the past three years to shortage the people of the state and illegally enrich themselves with the wealth of the people.
“It is particularly troubling that the audit findings were reportedly presented to Dr Deji Adeleke, a member of the Adeleke family, while the elected governor appeared side-lined like a troubled mendicant. This development raises questions about the structure of authority and accountability within the current administration.
“One is compelled to ask: what official role does Dr Deji Adeleke play in the verification of state government documents, especially having publicly distanced himself from partisan politics in the past? The people of Osun State deserve clarity on this matter.
“We call on statutory anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) to thoroughly investigate the alleged payroll fraud and determine the extent of culpability of all individuals involved, especially Dr Deji Adeleke and Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye,” APC said.
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Similarly, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), criticised the controversies surrounding the staff audit, describing the situation “unfortunate and embarrassing.”
In a statement by Dr Tosin Odeyemi, the NNPP chairman, the party demanded an open apology and clear explanation from Adeleke regarding the audit, which they argued has subjected the state to national shame.
Odeyemi questioned why Adeleke contracted Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, and labelling the firm as “incompetent.” He noted that the governor compelled state workers to submit to the audit against their wishes, raising concerns about how well Adeleke actually knew the firm before entrusting them with such a critical task.
“Why did Adeleke tie the commission taken by the woman to the number of ghost workers identified on the payroll?” Odeyemi queried. He claimed that Adeleke’s incompetence was the root cause of the issues, stating that the governor has effectively enslaved Osun’s labour force and retirees to an “incompetent auditor” chosen based on ties to the Adeleke dynasty.
He referenced past protests by workers against the audit’s methods, implying that those concerns have now been validated.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government has staunchly denied allegations of a N13 billion payroll scam levied by Sally Tibbot Limited, labelling the renewed claims as “fake news” sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Friday, the government affirmed that the audit report’s assertions are inaccurate, stating that over two-thirds of those classified as ghost workers are, in fact, legitimate staff with proper identification.
