Osun Denies Paying Contractor N20bn, Accuses PDP Of Mischief

The Osun State government has called on residents of the state to disregard the lies being peddled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to discredit Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

A statement by the Director of the Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon, said the PDP and its allies were manipulating the people.

It reads: “The latest of the PDP’s falsehood is the allegation that the Aregbesola administration has paid N20billion of the N34.988billion bailout fund to a construction company, Slava Yeditepe, handling the Oba Adesoji Aderemi Second By-Pass Road.

“Nothing could be more ridiculous. The construction of the Adesoji Aderemi Road began in July 2013 at a cost of N14.5billion and this was publicly announced.

“What then would be the reason for the payment of N20billion to the contractor in 2015?
“Secondly, the PDP shot itself in the foot last week when it accused Aregbesola of fixing the bailout funds in a deposit account.


“If its claim was true, how then was the governor able to pay N20billion to Slava Yeditepe? This stands logic in the head. This does not show good thinking on the part of the PDP and its allies.
“There can be no other rationale behind these spurious allegations other than to incite workers against the government.

“The PDP said the state received the bailout funds two weeks ago. It was apparent that this was a calculated attempt to set workers against the government.

“If not outright mischief, how could the PDP accuse Aregbesola of having collected the funds two weeks when in actual facts, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), just three days before then, confirmed its release of the funds to the states?

“This is why the public must be wary of the antics of this party and its co-travellers.

“Whether the PDP and its allies in the evil plot realise it or not, Osun people are much more sophisticated and more discerning. Such lies are too cheap for them”, it added.

The statement assured that the government will begin the payment of salary and pension arrears.
It also thanked the people of Osun for their resilience, perseverance, and for resisting the temptation to be used to destroy the peace and progress the state had always enjoyed under Aregbesola.