Osun APC, PDP In Verbal War Over Adeleke’s Religion, FG Palliative

The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of engaging in deceitful acts by professing Islam and Christianity at the same time.

The party also alleged that bags of rice received from the federal government by the state government as palliative to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal were being re-branded to the Osun State Government to deceive the general public.

The party which made the allegations in two separate releases signed by APC chairman in the state, Tajudeen Lawal, said Adeleke was breaching a vital part of the Constitution by presenting himself as both Muslim and Christian.

Although Lawal noted that Adeleke has the right to be a Christian, a Muslim or an atheist, but said claiming to be combining all the faiths was a fraudulent act.

Lawal said further, “As the incumbent state governor, Senator Adeleke owes the people of the state a duty of the declaration of his faith and ultimately playing double membership of both Christianity and Islam with the ulterior aim of fraudulently harvesting their votes during the elections.

“One of the reasons it would be pungent clear that Governor Adeleke has not been faithful in belonging to two faiths is that he has been frustrating the Muslims and the Christians with his privileged position as the state Chief executive.”

On food items given to the state by the federal government, Lawal said credible sources confirmed to him that two trailers loaded with bags of rice branded in the name of the Federal Government of Nigeria were offloaded at the State Government Secretariat, Abere, and were being re-branded to Osun State Government.

He explained further that the food item being rebranded at a secret location in the Secretariat had the photograph of Governor Ademola Adeleke inscribed on it to give a false impression that the palliative items were provided by his administration.

Lawal asked, “Is it fair or justifiable for a state government to corner the palliatives meant for the people and pretend as if it is the state that is providing it?”

But reacting to the allegations on Saturday, the Osun State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Sunday Bisi, and the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, both exonerated the governor of any wrongdoing.

Bisi, who said APC has run out of ideas by demanding the governor’s religious affiliation, added that the opposition party in Osun has become too overwhelmed to craft appropriate strategies to respond to the PDP government’s good performance in office.

He said, “The Osun APC left a legacy of squandermania and destruction of state assets. The former administration virtually left the state in ruins across the sectors. Osun people mandated Governor Adeleke to rebuild the state and put it on a pedestal of sustainable growth and development.

“That is the mandate of the Osun people to Mr. Governor and he is fulfilling those obligations. The people of Osun state are also following up with the administration. The people see and appreciate the rebuilding efforts.

“Our people want good governance. They want an upgrade of state infrastructure, good schools, better health access, food availability, an environment for job creation and security of lives and properties. They care less about your religion. Voters want good governance and Mr Governor is delivering. ”

Reacting in a similar vein to the allegations bordering on palliative, Alimi, said the administration was not rebranding bags of rice received from the federal government and challenged APC to visit Osun State stores to check the consignment so far received from the Federal Government.

He further said, “There is no truth in the allegation. The release from the APC is another manifestation of the opposition’s desperation. The federal rice palliatives are just coming into the state and none of it was re-bagged.

“The delivery is still ongoing and they are in safekeeping as they are delivered. The government has already activated its structure for the sharing of the federal palliative to reach all strata of society. The government however deem the supply from the central government insufficient, hence its decision to buy more trucks of rice for distribution to the population.

“Rice purchased by the state which is also being delivered are however branded and they are also due for sharing very soon. What is branded are the state’s rice, not federal palliative, the delivery of which is still ongoing.”