Adeleke Slams Aregbesola: “Your  Tenure was the Worst in Osun History”

Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has launched an attack on his predecessor Former Governor, Rauf Aregbesola saying his eight-year tenure as a governor is the “worst in Osun’s history.”

Adeleke’s reaction came in response to Aregbesola’s statement on Sunday while addressing supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Osogbo. Aregbesola had boasted that the ADC would dislodge the Adeleke-led administration from the government house come 2026.

The Governor in a statement through his Spokesperson, Rasheed Olawale said 2026 is a payback time when Osun people will punish the former Governor and his new party for wilfully inflicting pains and suffering on Osun people throughout his eight years administration.

He said the empty boast of Mr Aregbesola about 2026 is a symptom of a troubled mind who sees wrong vision, who is battling his benefactor and who is haunted by the pains and suffering he inflicted on millions of Osun people through his evil policies and programmes.

He added that the former governor should rather  be remorseful and tender public apologies for his years of maladministration instead of the audacity to threaten the sitting Governor who is clearing the mess he left behind after his eight years of anti-people, thoughtless leadership.

Olawale said the Adeleke administration has paid 28 months out of the half salary left behind by Mr Aregbesola And close to 60 billion naira in pension debt, a legacy of this same Aregbesola. 

He said “If Aregbesola is to accuse Governor Adeleke of non-performance, we await his review of the dualization of palace to brewery junction at Ilesa which he failed to achieve while in office. He should check out the flyover projects at Ile Ife and Osogbo and the dualization projects ongoing at Iwo among others. “

He said “Osun people know their present and past Governors. Our people are smart enough to know that the worst era for Osun state is that of Mr Aregbesola under whom many pensioners lost their lives, thousands of lives were disrupted, and the state plunged into unsustainable debt that is still hurting the state till date. No voter in Osun is ready for a return to the dark days.”

The Governor accused Aregbesola of mismanaging workers’ welfare by introducing the controversial half salary policy, misusing contributory pension funds, and withholding cooperative deductions from civil servants.

Adeleke revealed that his administration has so far paid 28 months of the half salaries owed by Aregbesola’s administration and has also cleared close to N60 billion in pension debt.

He further criticized Aregbesola for plunging the state into a cycle of unsustainable debt, which he said is still affecting Osun’s financial health today.