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Workers, three monarchs, OSIEC chair, others fired
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30 perm secs demoted
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Lawmakers draw battle line with governor over state name, anthem, logo, others
A gale of dismissals swept through Osun State yesterday.
Governor Ademola Adeleke wielded the big stick, barely 24 hours after taking office.
The civil service and traditional institutions were the worst hit.
The governor fired 12,000 workers hired by immediate past Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
But, a source said only 2,000 workers were employed by the former governor.
Also sacked were three traditional rulers appointed by the past administration.
Thirty senior civil servants enlisted to the position of Permanent Secretary were demoted to directors.
The chairman and some members of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) were fired.
It was the second day of policy reversals by the new governor who assumed office at the State secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
There was uproar in the state yesterday following the sackings.
Three monarchs – the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Yinusa Akadiri; Aree of Ire, Oba Ademola Oluponle and Owa of Igbajo, Oba Gboyega Famodu – were ordered to vacate their palaces for security agents to take over.
The governor demoted 30 permanent secretaries recently promoted by his predecessor, Oyetola.
Besides, Adeleke fired the chairman of OSIEC, Mr. Segun Oladitan, and other members of the agency.
Frowning at the reversal of his predecessor’s decisions, the House of Assembly drew a battle line with the governor over the change of the state name, anthem and slogan.
A statement by Adeleke’s Chief Press Secretary, Olawale Rasheed, stated that the governor signed executive orders, which covered chieftaincy matters, appointments, setting up of review panel, staff audit and employment matters.
It reads: “All employments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the ministries, departments, agencies, commissions, boards and parastatals after July 17, 2022, be and are hereby nullified.
“Executive Order Number Five on Chieftaincy Affairs and appointment of traditional rulers: all appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after 17th July 2022, are hereby ordered to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies.
“In the case of Ikirun, Iree and Igbajo, to avoid further breakdown of law and order, the appointments of Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Ire and Owa of Igbajo are hereby put on hold, pending review.
“Subsequently, the palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge.”
Also, a statement by the Secretary to Osun State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, announced the suspension of the Chairman of OSIEC, Oladitan and its members.
They are: Yusuf Oyeniran, Suibat Adubi, Prince Yinka Ajiboye, Abosede Omibeku, Dosu Gidigbi, and Wahab Adewoyin.
He said the suspension followed many petitions bordering on financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the chairman and members of the commission.
Igbalaye said: “Pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations against the suspended Chairman and members of the Commission, the Secretary to the Commission shall hold forth in running the affairs of the Commission.”
Hoodlums attack motor parks
Tension seized Osogbo, the state capital, as hoodlums armed with guns and other dangerous weapons attacked motor parks to take over the secretariats.
The hoodlums, who claimed to be supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), launched attacks on four motor parks: Oke-Baale, Old Garage, Ilesa Garage and Aregbe Garage simultaneously.
They claimed that the union leaders were loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that they must give way to loyalists of the new government.
Ten members and executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and two policemen sustained injuries.
At the Old Garage, hoodlums chased union members from the park towards the Ayetoro area with guns and cutlasses. Business owners had to close their shops. School gates were shut. A car was razed.
Adeleke, in a statement by Olawale, directed union leaders to maintain peace across parks, warning against violence among transport workers’ unions in the state. The governor also directed security agencies to maintain the status quo across the motor parks.
He said: “All union leaders and their supporters are hereby directed to remain calm and bring any grievances to the State Government for resolution.
“Security agencies are consequently directly to maintain law and order.”
Police arrest 10
No fewer than 10 hoodlums were later arrested by the police.
The spokesperson of Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, in a statement, confirmed that members of NURTW and policemen were injured during an attack by hoodlums.
She said: “The police operatives’ tactical operation led to the arrest of 10 suspects and recovery of one Barretta pistol, two pump action, two barrel guns, nine live and four expended cartridges, five cutlasses and charms.”
Oyetola: publish list of 12,000 workers
Yesterday, Oyetola’s spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, said the claim by Adeleke that his boss employed 12,000 workers was not only false but unfounded.
Omipidan, who challenged Adeleke to publish the list of the purported 12,000 workers, queried: “What is the entire workforce of the state?”
He added: “Once a lie is told, you need a one and thousand lies to cover it up. In no distant future, the people of Osun will know who the real liars are.”
Osun Assembly draws battleline
Crisis loom in the House as the lawmakers warned the new governor against the reversal of the slogan and name of the state, non-compliance with the rendition of the state anthem, and rejection of the state logo.
Adeleke, in his inaugural speech, had issued an Executive Order reversing the name of the state from ‘State of Osun’ to Osun State, and the slogan of ‘State of Virtue’ to ‘State of Living Spring’.
The new governor also shunned the usage of the state logo, thereby adopting the Nigerian coat of arm logo.
At the swearing-in of aides at Imole House, the state anthem was not rendered.
Similarly, the podium of the governor carried an emblem devoid of the state logo.
The House of Assembly cautioned Adeleke, stressing that the usage of the state anthem, crest and flag is backed by laws and not a matter of choice.
A statement by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Moshood Akande, said: “The State of Osun House of Assembly, having reviewed the inaugural speech of the governor and the activities of the inauguration hereby resolves as follows: The enactment ‘State of Osun Anthem, Crest and Flag Law, 2012’ assented to on the 18th of December, 2012 contained in Schedule I, Il, Ill, IV and V, which carefully details every component of this law is not in ambiguity.
“Schedule I is the State Anthem, Schedule II has to do with the State Crest, Schedule III is the symbolic significance of the elements in the Flag.
“Lastly, “Lastly, while we are aware of a court judgment in effect recognizing ‘Osun State’, the Assembly, pending the determination and exhaustion of all legal means, would not be drawn into this matter.
“However, the State shall and will continue to be described as the State of the Virtuous (Ipinle Omoluabi).”
Excited residents welcome governor
Civil servants, PDP members and residents yesterday welcomed the governor with excitement.
The elated crowd converged in front of Abere around 8am with flags, banners, drums, trumpets and whistles, waiting to receive him.
Adeleke arrived at the gate of the State Secretariat at 12:22 pm, amid heavy security.
He acknowledged the cheers by sticking out his head through the open roof of his vehicle as the convoy moved into Bola Ige House.
The governor was hosted to an inter-faith service at the State Secretariat, with civil servants singing and dancing.
Adeleke promised to guarantee the welfare of the public service.
He urged new political appointees to brace up for good governance as clerics committed the governor and the state to God’s hand.
Speaking at the swearing-in of the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, and the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, Adeleke described the new appointees as “worthy sons of Osun State” and strong members of the ‘Imole team’ who have the interest of the state at heart.
At an event attended by top political and religious leaders as well as traditional rulers, including the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, and Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the governor said his appointees will strengthen the capacity and capabilities of his administration to deliver on his five-point agenda.
Responding on behalf of other appointees, Igbalaye assured the governor of their readiness to support him in his desire to take the state to the promised land, adding: “We are committed to the faithful and successful implementation of the five-point agenda.”
Okowa congratulates Adeleke
PDP vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa congratulated Adeleke on his inauguration.
Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, described Adeleke’s emergence as “the entrance of light for Osun people.”
He said: “It is heart-warming to witness your inauguration as the sixth governor of Osun against all odds and I am grateful to the electorate in Osun for shunning the entreaties of retrogressive forces.
“It is my prayer that God will grant you wisdom, knowledge and the needed resources to attend to your campaign promises of taking away the darkness that pervades your state, Osun.”
Aregbesola’s loyalist under fire for attending inauguration
Supporters of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola under the aegis of The Osun Progressives (TOP) have been criticised for attending the inauguration.
The factional chairman of APC, Rasak Salinsile, attended the inauguration held at the Osogbo Township stadium.
The pictures of their attendance went viral on Monday.
A group of youths within APC headed by Aweda Abimbade said: “The attendance of Aregbesola’s loyalists at Adeleke’s inauguration has vindicated the leadership of APC in the state that they (TOP) clandestinely worked against the victory of the party in the last governorship election in the State.
“The immediate past state chairman of the APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, now Owa of Igbajo, had described TOP members and their sponsors as parasites who were hell-bent to pull down the party for selfish interest.”
