You Deliberately Withheld Our Severance Allowances Because We’re Loyal To Aregbesola, Ex-councillors Allege Gov Oyetola

——–Your Arguments Are Deceptive, Mischevious- Commissioner For LH

Some former political office holders in the various local government areas, local council Development Areas and Area Offices in Osun State have accused Governor Gboyega Oyetola of deliberately withholding their severance allowances.

The affected ex-council parliamentarians said that the governor allegedly withheld their severance allowances because of their loyalty to his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbosola who is now the Minister of Interiors .

These were made known in a statement jointly signed by Rasheed Raji Ropo, Odo-Otin North LCDA, Hon. Demola Owoade, Irewole North East LCDA, Hon. Mukaila Uthman, Ede North Area Council, Hon. Rafiu Durodola, Orolu LGa, Hon. Abdullateef Adeyeye- Ayedaade LGa and Hon. Busayo Eselebor, Osogbo West LCDA and made a available to CityMirrorNews in Osogbo, on Wednesday.

But, in his swift reaction, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke described the claims as a deliberate conjectures means to mislead the public about the activities of government.

The Commissioner said though, it was correct that severance allowances of some political office holders in councils were withheld until they get clearance from the Ministry of Local Government based on the fact that there are issues they need to clarify on their spendings and some other activities when they were serving.

He explained that the issue has nothing to do with Aregbesola or Oyetola but purely the policies that they have set out in the ministry which must be complied with.

Adeleke added that “such issues are vary from councils to councils and I don’t think that should generate issues, because some have shown up and they had been cleared, some were asked to wait until the allegations against them are proven to either be correct or wrong.

“I believe those who do not have anything to fear or hide should be bold enough to show up and state their cases, rather than attaching political meaning to it.

“So, it has nothing to do with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola or Governor Gboyega Oyetola, it is purely the policies that we have set out in the ministry that must be complied with. Attaching it to Aregbesola’s loyalists is deceptive, mischevious and was only meant to score cheap political point and gain undue sympathy, he said .

The affected former councillors alleged that there had been series of attacks on the party members believing to be Aregbesola’s loyalists saying it was quite unfortunate that the same government which they all worked hard to put in place had now turned back to be their enemy.

“Mr. Governor state of Osun Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola has continue his onslaught on the loyalist of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who are councillors in the last local government parliamentary government dispensation.

“It is very unfortunate that in the last few days series of attacks has been launched by the governor and his uninformed cohorts in the cabinet house of confusion in Osun.”

“Now the latest is the nonpayment of severance allowances for the councillors who are loyalist of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola without any allegations against them, while the remaining others are paid.

“We condemn every selective payment for councillors who have served their people in their best capacity.

“We want all our entitlements fully paid to all councillors without delay.

“We reject on its entirety the 25% payment of the severance allowance.

“We vehemently say No to a divisive politics in the state of Osun.

“We wish to remind those who are in government now that we all worked to put this government in place even with the fierce struggle of a re-run election in 2018.

“Now, harassment, intimidation, fantom investigation, and mendacious allegations is the order of the day for the loyalist of Rauf.

“We are waiting for 4+4 to be actualized by the PDP and SDP cabinet in APC government,” they said.

CityMirrorNews recalls that Governor Gboyega Oyetola recently had recently approved the payment of N285,560,000 as severance allowances of all the former political office holders in the various local governments, local Council Development Areas and Areas Offices of the state.

He approved 25 percent of the severance allowances of all the former political office holders in the various local councils.