The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has said the last-minute appointments of his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, are malicious.
Adeleke spoke on Sunday during his inauguration as the sixth governor of the state.
The new governor also announced an immediate return to the status quo of all fresh appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by the past administration with effect from July 17, 2022.
He declared frozen all government accounts.
He said, “Mass employments were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.
“Appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few. All efforts to get the governor to set up a transition committee and submit hand-over notes in line with best practices proved abortive.
“It is therefore my desire to ask for your patience and understanding to give my administration a few weeks to review and sort out all the actions and malicious confusions which the immediate past administration created since July 17, 2022. Those actions were indeed vindictive measures against the people of Osun State for voting them out of office.
“Consequently, I hereby issue the following directives which will be backed up with appropriate Executive orders, immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions; immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets; an immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate past administration taken after July 17, 2022; an immediate reversal to the constitutionally recognised name of our state, Osun State.
All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun State rather than State of Osun, which is unknown to the Nigerian constitution.”
The Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, administered oaths of offices to the governor and his Deputy, Kola Adewusi.
Present at the main bowl of the Osogbo City Stadium were dignitaries that included the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate and his running mate, Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa, respectively; PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Emmanuel Udom.
Also present were Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, ex-Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
However, members of the Integrity Group, including the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, all stayed away from the event.
..Hoodlums take over Osogbo parks
Meanwhile, two police operatives were on Sunday injured around the Old Coca-Cola area of Osogbo during an attempt to take over a motor park in the area.
Sources said the hoodlums had come in large numbers and struggled arms with the police deployed to secure the area.
It was learnt that during the melee, the hoodlums attacked the policemen, who prevented them from taking over the park.
Some of the attackers were also said to have been injured as roadside traders all fled to avoid being attacked.
Also, the hoodlums sacked the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers at Oju’rin Park and Okefia.
Similarly, some suspected hoodlums on Sunday attacked operatives of the Amotekun corps at the venue of the inauguration of the new governor for the state.
The incident occurred as Adeleke was entering the venue of the inauguration.
The Amotekun Field Commander, Amitolu Shittu, confirmed the incident, saying five operatives were assaulted in separate incidents.
He, however, said the corps would not be intimidated by the hoodlums.
