As Osun State Government embarked on asset recovery mission, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, has said official vehicles bought during the former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration were taken away by appointees of ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The Nation recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke had set up a committee and task force to recover assets allegedly looted under the administration of his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The SSG tackled reactions that followed the decision of the government, which was made by a civil society group.
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Igbalaye, a former chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, under the administration of Oyinlola, in a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Adeoye, said none of his members, including the current Chief of Staff to the governor, Kazeem Akinleye, took away any official car.
He said: “I affirm here that none of the local government chairmen and their wives took away their official cars during Oyinlola’s administration. We were eased out of the government through the Supreme Court judgment.
“The official cars bought by local government chairmen during the Oyinlola administration were given as take home to all ACN caretaker local government chairmen that took over from us under Aregbesola administration. The only car I took home as an official car was the one bought by ALGON as ALGON state chairman. This has been the practice from the national headquarters in Abuja by paying the necessary fees, which I did with my receipt intact.”
Igbalaye said: “No fake news will stop recovery of vehicles and other assets belonging to the state. The task force will soon begin operation. My advice to those who took away government vehicles is to return them as quickly as possible.”