By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun state and Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Thursday disagreed over the sponsor of the road project inaugurated in Ilesa on Wednesday.

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki on Wednesday was accompanied by Governor Adeleke to inaugurate a 2-kilometre road in Ilesa funded by a native of the town, Rasheed Sarumi.

The APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to newsmen by Kola Olabisi, accused Governor Adeleke of fraud for trying to claim the project funded by an individual under a tax incentive policy introduced by his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola.

The statement reads partly: “For the umpteenth time, we state that the current government of Senator Ademola Adeleke in Osun State is fraudulent and bereft of ideas.

“The government lacks ingenuity and creativity. The recent shenanigans in Ilesa where it adopted to play a fast game on the people of Osun State over projects fully funded by a private individual, Mr Rasheed Sarumi of Ilesa, is a sour reminder of how low governance has sunk under the kick-and-start governor.

“It is disheartening that Governor Adeleke’s Spokesperson would lie that some lofty projects that Governor Godwin Obaseki came all the way from Benin to commission was a product of Governor Adeleke’s recent Tax Credit initiative. This is an irresponsible falsehood that a decent government should not have contemplated to elevate.

“The tax credit initiative as related to the Ilesa projects was a brain-child of ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. It was conceptualized and implemented during his administration.

“In actual fact, the projects were phased into two parts with the first phase already completed and second phase was at a 60 per cent completion stage as at the time the former governor exited government on November 26th, 2022”.

However, Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed in a statement said it never claimed the glory of the project, saying the governor was invited to commission the project, hence, decided to honour the sponsor with his presence.

“In what way is it a crime for the state governor to honour a distinguished Osun citizen who is giving back to the society? Governor Adeleke has constructed over 55 kilometers of roads with another 45 kilometers in the pipelines. The administration has not and will not claim projects that do not belong to the administration.

“Is the APC saying the Governor should not have encouraged the Sarumis and others to support community development by personally identifying with them? The current government is bridging the infrastructure deficit and it won’t be distracted by a party that failed woefully while in office.

” It is evidently clear that the sordid past of a rejected administration still weighs heavily on the opposition. Governor Adeleke is touching lives, upgrading infrastructures and rebuilding the state from the wreckage left behind by APC”, it reads partly.