By Adeola Kunle
The Osun State Government has dismissed allegations that ₦11 billion was diverted from its treasury, insisting that no public funds were looted and accusing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of pursuing a politically motivated agenda.
In a statement shared on Thursday via X, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the allegations as an attempt to justify what he called the unlawful freezing of the state's bank accounts through baseless claims.
According to the commissioner, the account freeze was allegedly carried out at the instance of former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, with the aim of preventing the state government from paying palliative allowances promised to workers.
He, however, stated that despite the restriction placed on the accounts, the administration successfully paid the approved palliatives to all state employees after concluding negotiations designed to ease the impact of the country's economic hardship.
Alimi noted that the cost-of-living support was not unprecedented, adding that similar financial assistance had previously been provided to workers in the state.
The government firmly rejected claims of financial mismanagement, arguing that the EFCC's investigation was politically motivated and intended to undermine the administration.
It alleged that the anti-graft agency had been acting in the interest of the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by freezing government accounts and making what it described as false accusations concerning ecological and other public funds.
According to the statement, the state's available resources have been committed to infrastructure projects, workers' welfare, and development initiatives across key sectors, leaving no room for the alleged diversion of funds.
"We do not loot public funds in Osun State; we focus on delivering projects and services that benefit the people," the government stated, insisting that its limited resources have been transparently utilised for public development.
The administration further claimed that senior government officials have been subjected to investigations by the EFCC since March 2026 without any evidence of wrongdoing being established. It alleged that officials have endured repeated questioning and harassment intended to distract them from governance.
The government also argued that if the commission possessed credible evidence of corruption, it should follow established legal procedures rather than freezing government accounts, which it described as an unlawful action lacking due process.
Describing the allegations as an afterthought, the Osun Government maintained that the EFCC was attempting to defend an action that had backfired.
It insisted that the commission's claims would not withstand public scrutiny or legal examination.
Earlier, DIP CONNECT ONLINE NEWS reported that the EFCC said it froze the Osun State Government's bank accounts to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds ahead of the state's August 15 governorship election.
Adeola Kunle
No comments:
Post a Comment