Alleged Involvement Of Adeleke’s CoS In TETFUND Contract, Baseless-Govt

Osun State Government has denied the alleged involvement of Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Hon. Kazeem Akinleye, in Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) contract.

The government described the accusation as baseless, saying Akinleye has not violated any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any other extant laws for that matter.

Recall that Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had accused Akinleye of using his closeness to the state government to corner a two hundred and ninety seven million naira (N297m) Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) contract at the state-owned university, the UNIOSUN.

The leading opposition party, however charged the nation’s Code of Conduct Bureau to beam its searchlight on the Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

But, in swift response, Governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed in a statement made available to New Telegraph newspaper on Saturday, said that the Chief of Staff, as a public officer, has not deployed his office to, in whatever ways, favour himself especially as he is not a member of the governing board of Osun State University nor a member of the board of directors of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to yet another ridiculous concoction by the All Progressive Congress falsely accusing the Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Hon Kazeem Akinleye of an imaginary breach of Code of Conduct over an alleged TEFUND contract.

“We affirm again that the accusation is baseless as the Chief of Staff has not violated any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any other extant laws for that matter.

“Specifically too, Hon Akinleye had effectively ceased to be a director of the mentioned company ever before his appointment as the Chief of Staff and so cannot in any way be held accountable for the business operations of the said company.

“The Chief of Staff has never sat at any meeting or board deliberation where such a contract was determined and is therefore by all accounts not in breach of any provisions of the Code of Conduct or any subsisting laws of the land.

“The defamatory publication is therefore a reflection of what we noted earlier that the state APC has run out of ideas to tackle the superlative delivery of service by the Adeleke government and is now resorting to cheap blackmail and outright fake news.

“We note with disdain the reprehensible desperation of the opposition to destroy the vibrant and world class Osun State University which is running its affairs in line with best practices and in compliance with its establishment laws.

“We equally decry the failed attempt of the opposition to distract the state government of which Hon Akinleye is a critical actor, from its very laudable delivery of good governance and democratic dividends.

“We assert with all confidence that Hon Akinleye has not in any way abused his office as he mainly applies himself to discharging his official duties as the Chief of Staff to the Governor which does not include contract solicitation and influence for and/or on behalf of any personality be it natural or corporate.

“While urging the public to discountenance the failed men of yesterday, we restate the commitment of the administration to upholding and enforcing due process, best practices and procurement laws.”