Why Osun Accountant-General ‘left’ office days to Osun gov election

Amid the N29.6 billion revenue saga rocking Osun State government, fresh facts have emerged regarding the controversies surrounding the status of the state Accountant-General, Mr. Alaba Kolawole.

Sunday Tribune learnt that Kolawole’s tenure officially ended on July 31 according to state public service rules, but he controversially got an extension from the incumbent administration.

However, he allegedly disappeared from office without official notice on Friday, after allegedly forwarding copies of his disengagement letter to banks doing official business with the state, notifying them that he ceased to be the state’s Accountant-General from tomorrow, Monday, September 10.

A source quoted a sitting commissioner in the state as saying that events culminating in the controversial exit began about three weeks at a state executive meeting when he allegedly declined to work on a particular file relating to a controversial project.

At the said meeting, Kolawole was said to have argued vehemently against committing state fund to the alleged project and when he was unyielding, a top official and a higher authority in the state governance reportedly asked that the discussion be shelved.

But the Osun State government denied insinuations that the Accountant-General resigned from his position, noting that he retired having reached the statutory age of 60 in line with civil service rule.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lani Baderinwa, in a statement, clarified that the retirement of the Accountant-General followed his attainment of 60 years, in line with civil service rule, saying: “Mr Kolawole retired from service on account of reaching the threshold age of 60 few weeks back, in line with the service rules and practice. He had served the state meritoriously in various capacities since he joined the service some decades ago and rose to be appointed the Accountant-General of the state by Governor Rauf Aregbesola in 2012 when he reached the pinnacle of his career.”

Efforts to get Kolawole proved abortive as of press time, as his mobile numbers were switched off.

It was, however, learnt that it wasn’t the first time Kolawole would be putting up an act during election cycle in the state. An informed source told Sunday Tribune that in 2014, in the thick of re-election programme of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Kolawole was said to have controversially vacated office, making himself unavailable for even state duties.

He allegedly bolted from office to make it impossible for the administration to draw suspicious funds from state coffers, using his office.

According to an insider, the few times top officials of the administration were able to connect him on his mobile lines, he was quoted as always saying “I can’t come around now o. EFCC (operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have surrounded my office.”

The excuse was allegedly adopted by him, to make it look as if he was protecting the administration from being penetrated by the anti-corruption agency.

His absence, going by his excuse, would not afford the commission’s operatives, who allegedly invaded the state, to lay their hands on critical documents that could undermine the administration, considering that the ruling party in the state was in opposition at the federal at that time.

Kolawole, was, however, alleged to be frustrating the re-election agenda of the governor, considering the assumption that state fund usually goes into incumbent governors’ election agenda.

A state official told Sunday Tribune that alternatives were sought to procedural issues that required the Accountant-General’s presence and participation, to ensure state activities weren’t crippled.

Statutorily-competent personnel also reportedly came into the picture, with the very highly-placed source disclosing that “approvals were got from other competent officials.”

Meanwhile, the controversy trailing the alleged N29.67 billion accrual to the state government has continued to fester, with the workers in the state, serving another seven-day notice of strike action.

Apart from the controversial N16.67 billion secret Paris Club refund, which the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly released solely to the state recently, which is getting other governors seething, another N13 billion was said to have been released to the state by the same Federal Government as refunds on construction of federal roads.

Opposition in the state claimed the two said federal roads on which the huge sum was paid, have been abandoned by the state government.

Despite the close to N30 billion coming into the coffers of the state government, it was only last month salary that was paid in full by the state government.

Pensioners also reportedly got first full payment in close to three years.

The July full salary was also said to be first of such in 34 months for civil servants in the state.

 

PDP, ANN knock Buhari over alleged N16bn payment

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of aiding corruption in the alleged secret release of over N16.6 billion Paris Club fund to Osun State, while the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), described the release as a ploy to aid vote buying in the September 22 election.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, it is reprehensible that President Buhari, who it said his handlers have been parading as ‘Mr. Integrity’, could approve such dark scheme to convert funds meant for payment of several months’ arrears of workers’ salaries to bribe electoral officers and pay thugs to foist a rejected leadership on an already impoverished people.

Similarly, the ANN in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Oyeniyi, said that the secret payment was a ploy to aide vote buying during the September 22 governorship election, saying: “The Federal Government recently paid to only Osun State government N16.67 billion last tranche of Paris Club refund, making it the only state government to be paid,” the ANN said, adding that the action was a ploy to aid the Aregbesola administration in engaging in vote buying during the forthcoming gubernatorial poll.”