Onanuga’s Salvo On Aregbesola Confirms APC’s Failure, Raises 30 Questions For AMBO

The recent public attack by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on former Governor Rauf Aregbesola has confirmed the not-a-news fact that APC left Osun State in ruins.

By openly admitting that the Aregbesola administration was marked by unpaid salaries, half salary payments, pension neglect and reckless financial management, Mr Onanuga has confirmed to the general public that the APC government plunged Osun workers, pensioners and families into years of pain and uncertainty.

However, Aregbesola did not govern alone. Those who now seek to distance themselves from that era were active participants in the same government. Former Chief of Staff and later Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, was at the centre of that administration and later had four years to correct its failures, but largely continued the same policies.

Likewise, the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, served as Commissioner for Finance and earlier headed OSICOL. He supervised the finances of the state throughout the very period now being condemned by Mr Onanuga.

If APC leaders now agree that Osun suffered under their government, then AMBO and other leading figures of that administration owe the people answers.

Accordingly, the following 30 questions remain unanswered:

1. As head of OSICOL, why did AMBO preside over the liquidation and sale of Osun State properties in Lagos and Abuja without transparency or due process?
2. If he was acting under instruction, why did he not resign instead of implementing policies that deprived Osun of valuable public assets?
3. Why were Osun’s mining investments, especially the Segilola project, managed in a way that denied the state its rightful earnings until the Adeleke administration recovered and documented Osun’s shares?
4. If AMBO claims ignorance, does that not amount to an admission that he lacked the competence required as OSICOL boss?
5. As Finance Commissioner, why did he authorise the transfer of Osun shares at Omoluabi to a proxy company through a questionable process?
6. Why were the proceeds from that transaction paid into OSICOL’s account instead of the state treasury?
7. Why does he attempt to blame predecessors despite the existence of a letter he personally signed approving the transfer?
8. What explanation will he give if that signed letter is made public?
9. As Finance Commissioner, why did he support half salary payments and the non-payment of pension obligations?
10. Why does he continue to deny involvement when there are documents and photographs already in public circulation?
11. Why did he retain Chams as payroll manager instead of implementing the World Bank-backed SIFMIS payroll system?
12. Why was SIFMIS used in other areas of government finance but excluded from payroll management?
13. Why did he support policies that weakened the public service through non-appointment of Permanent Secretaries, unpaid promotion allowances and anti-worker policies?
14. Why did he allow the 20 million dollar World Bank health grant to become a fund allegedly shared by a few politically connected persons?
15. As Chairman of the Procurement Board, why did he prevent the procurement agency from handling the health grant in line with due process?
16. Why did he overrule technical officials who warned that the handling of the health grant was illegal?
17. Why did he supervise a pattern of moving contracts and public spending outside Osun State, denying local businesses and workers opportunities?
18. Why did he fail to reduce Osun’s debt burden when the current administration has reportedly reduced it by about 40 percent?
19. Why did he politicise the procurement process and allegedly install loyalists in the procurement system?
20. Why was Osun State University denied adequate funding, leading to abandoned projects and threats to accreditation?
21. Why was the University of Ilesa denied proper take-off grants after its establishment?
22. As head of NIWA, why did Nigeria witness over 1,000 deaths on inland waterways under his watch?
23. Why did workers at NIWA reportedly celebrate his removal from office?
24. Is he concerned that his emergence as candidate has damaged his democratic credentials?
25. Why does he and his supporters repeatedly boast about “federal might” instead of relying on the will of the people?
26. Why did he remove “Munirudeen” from his INEC filings?
27. Why did he suddenly withdraw a manifesto earlier released by his campaign?
28. Why has he still not presented a final manifesto to the people of Osun?
29. Why is he promoting religious division in a state known for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect?
30. Given his central role in the Oyetola administration and the serious concerns surrounding his record, why should the people of Osun trust him with the governorship?

The Osun APC cannot escape collective responsibility for the suffering imposed on Osun people.

In contrast, Governor Ademola Adeleke has prioritised the payment of salary arrears, pensions, promotion benefits and debt reduction.

Before asking Osun people for another chance, the APC must first answer these questions and apologise for the pain, hardship and setbacks inflicted on the state.

by Waliu