Tag: ADELEKE

The former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Osun State, Hon. Adewale Adebayo, has criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration for generating the lowest Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue among Southwest states.

Adebayo, who also serves as the Osun State Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of becoming a liability to the federal government by stalling the progress of ongoing economic reforms.

Reacting to the Q1 2025 VAT report released by StatiSense, which ranked Osun State at the bottom among its regional counterparts, Adebayo said in a statement on Sunday: “Governor Adeleke has nothing to offer this state apart from entertainment.”

“Osun under Adeleke has become a burden to the Federal government by contributing next to nothing to the economic development of the government at the centre, dragging the country back.

“We are raising serious concern over the fiscal underperformance of Adeleke. The report revealed that Osun State generated ₦5.95 billion in VAT revenue which is the lowest in South West states despite receiving a higher allocation of ₦21.23 billion compared with 19.63 billion of Ekiti State.

“The disparity between what Osun contributes and what it receives is not only alarming but underscores a chronic lack of productivity and innovation in economic governance by Adeleke’s government.”

He added that “This revelation exposes the overreliance on federal allocation by Adeleke’s government while contributing the least to the central revenue pool. It is disheartening that states like Ekiti, Ogun, and Ondo, which are smaller in commercial stature, generated more VAT than Osun. This fiscal laziness reflects poorly on the leadership of the current administration.”

He urged the Osun government to stimulate local productivity by supporting SMEs, modernising agriculture, and improving the ease of doing business among others.

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“Beyond the current political propaganda in the state and mediocrity, the state leadership should know that the future of Osun cannot be sustained on federal generosity alone. A state that once led in education, agriculture, and enterprise must not settle for crumbs in the 21st-century economy.”

Meanwhile, reacting to APM, the ruling party, PDP through its Director of Media, Oladele Bamiji, berated the stance of the opposition, describing it as michevious.

He explained that “VAT generation is not a magic tap that a government can turn on overnight. It is the outcome of years of structural economic planning, industrial base development, market size, corporate presence, and consumer power.

“Osun State, historically driven by a public service economy and burdened by the fiscal mismanagement of the 12-year APC rule that APM conveniently ignores, is in a steady recovery mode. Governor Adeleke inherited a near-collapsed economy in 2022, overburdened with debt, unpaid entitlements, abandoned public infrastructure and a demotivated local enterprise ecosystem.”

He added that Adeleke’s government is on a recovery path to stimulate SMEs, empowering artisans and farmers, promoting digital entrepreneurship, and revitalising agriculture has begun yielding measurable outcomes, gradually reflecting in VAT returns and more evidently in the state’s rising Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke yesterday commiserated with the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, over the death of his wife, Olori Solape Christianah Abolarin.

Adeleke, through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement expressed sorrow on the demise of Olori Abolarin.

He described the deceased as a virtuous woman, a pillar of support to Orangun in the task of administering the affairs of his subjects.

The governor conveys his condolences to Oba Abolarin and the people of Oke-Ila and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, where she worked before her death, urging everyone touched by her loss to take solace in the fact that she lived a life full of impacts.

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“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, on the passage of his beloved wife, Olori Solape Christianah Abolarin.

“On that note also, I sympathise with the family and the people of Oke-Ila for the loss of a mother to many and a beacon of humility.

 “My condolences also go to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the State, which has lost one of its resourceful and dedicated staff,’’ Adeleke noted in the message.

.“As much as her demise may have pierce a deep pain in our hearts, we must honour the progress in our communities that she stood for while alive and uphold the values of contributions that defined her life journey.”

• Demand Adeleke’s intervention

Residents of 25 communities in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State yesterday protested against the deplorable condition of their road at Kelebe, Osogbo.

The communities begged for the quick intervention of Governor Ademola Adeleke, noting that the road has become a death trap for the residents.

The residents were carrying placards with several inscriptions like: ‘We reject neglect’, ‘Gov Adeleke come to our rescue’, ‘Approve construction of our road ‘ among others.

One of the leaders of the communities, Kehinde Olusegun, addressing reporters at the venue of the protest, which started at Olu-Omo, said: “We have gathered here today to appeal to the state government for intervention on this road, the road leads to about 25 communities, from Kelebe to Osogbo/Ikirun road via Kobo area of Osogbo.

“For some time, we have made a series of efforts to make some repairs, at least twice a year we use our resources for grading of the road, we are appealing to the state government to give us attention so that our road can be rehabilitated.”

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He noted that the communities have written a series of letters to the government to call their attention on the road but nothing has been done; rather, they gave excuses of paucity of funds. 

Olusegun stressed: “We believe that with the little resources, we can still benefit from the government. It was the community that did the bridge over there but it may soon collapse because it is getting out of hand. The bridge is between an untarred road, it will get eroded during the rainy season.

“We have over 5,000 houses in these 25 communities, we have voting strength here. We have Aratumi, Araromi, Akogun, Okete Igbale, Asejere, Alagbede, Isundun, Olu-Omo, Ona Satia among others in this area located in Olorunda local government area of Osun State.”

He lamented: “The road makes it difficult for us to access healthcare during emergencies, our children are prone to accidents on this road because they take bike. Infact the commercial transporters avoid this road making it difficult for us to enjoy more development.”

A youth group has warned the defection of Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke to All Progressives Congress(APC) will spell doom for the opposition party in the State ahead the 2026 and 2027 polls.  

The group within APC named Osun Progressives Youth(O-SPY) with membership across the State noted that Adeleke’s presence in APC “will erode public trust and lead to faction within APC because our leader, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola whose PDP had demonised.”

A statement by the coordinator of the group, Tunmise Ajiboye on Monday explained that, “Adeleke’s presence will only bring bad luck to APC because he knows that he will be bitterly defeated by the candidate of our party in 2026 guber poll.

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“The public are warming up to vote him out from Bola Ige House in 2026 because his administration is characterised with anti progressive tendencies. Those who are propagating his plan of defection are only cleaver by half. They are comparing Osun State with Delta state. 

“Do not compare Delta and Akwa Ibom states who are predominantly PDP with Osun State who is predominantly progressive state. Statically the APC doesn’t have up to 30% in the presidential results of both Akwa Ibom and Delta states results. 

“But in the Osun State APC scored 47.34% and PDP had 48.85%. Does that mean if Adeleke is allowed to come to the APC, APC votes will increase in 2027 ? In fact it may decrease, because many people will feel betrayed and dejected.”