The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of misleading the people by taking credit for road projects completed during the administrations of Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola. The accusation follows the recent commissioning of the Stadium-Testing Ground-Oke-Baale-Ilesa-Garage section of the Osogbo Ring Road, which took place on Wednesday as part of Adeleke’s second-year anniversary celebrations.
The road commissioning event, attended by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, was supposed to showcase Adeleke’s achievements. However, the APC claims that Adeleke’s administration has done little to no work on the project. According to the party, while Adeleke’s government claims a 20% intervention, the bulk of the roadwork, approximately 80%, was completed under the leadership of the previous governors.
In a statement, Kola Olabisi, the APC’s Director of Media and Information, expressed disappointment over the alleged “fraudulent” actions by Governor Adeleke. Olabisi described the road commissioning as an attempt to “steal credit” for work done by others. “It is nothing short of a brazen attempt to mislead the people of Osun State and the general public,” he said.
The APC further criticised Governor Adeleke’s handling of the road’s construction. They pointed out that while the project was commissioned, the road was far from complete. The design of the road included two layers, but only the binder course was laid, leaving the wearing course unfinished. This, according to the APC, qualifies the road as an incomplete project, not ready for commissioning.
The APC expressed surprise that Governor Makinde, who has been in office for six years in Oyo State and is a qualified electrical engineer, failed to notice these discrepancies. “We are astonished that Governor Makinde, with all his experience, did not investigate the project thoroughly before lending his support to the commissioning of an uncompleted road,” Olabisi remarked.
The controversy deepened with the APC pointing out that previous administrations under Aregbesola and Oyetola had already invested significant funds into the project. The party revealed that a total of N15 billion had been paid for the road’s construction, with only N3 billion left to complete it. This payment included the cost for the full overlay of the road to ensure its durability.
“The attempt by Governor Adeleke to erase the work done by the Aregbesola and Oyetola administrations will not succeed,” the APC declared. “The history of Osun State cannot be complete without recognizing the contributions of these leaders. Oyetola, for example, paid off N97 billion of the state’s debt without borrowing a penny.”
The APC also questioned Adeleke’s claims about his administration’s achievements. The governor has reportedly stated that his government has completed 250 kilometres of street lighting, but the APC insists that only about 20 kilometres of lighting work has been completed. “We challenge Governor Adeleke to prove that his government has indeed achieved 250 kilometers of street lighting,” Olabisi said, calling it a “dubious” claim.
The accusations have also touched on the support that Governor Makinde offered to Adeleke’s political future. At the commissioning event, Makinde expressed confidence that Adeleke would win a second term as Governor of Osun State, despite the APC’s criticism. “The APC will not be able to take Osun and Oyo states from the PDP,” Makinde said, throwing his weight behind Adeleke’s re-election bid.
However, the APC dismissed Makinde’s comments as political posturing. They argued that Makinde’s support for Adeleke was based on unrealistic expectations. “It is as good as ‘Dead On Delivery,’” the APC statement read, mocking the Oyo Governor’s political assessment.
The APC also warned Adeleke to stop taking credit for the work of previous administrations. “The earlier Governor Adeleke stops claiming the work of others as his own, the better it will be for his administration,” the party concluded. “His government is being run on impulse, without careful planning or foresight.”
