The Osun State Government has rejected allegations that about ₦11 billion was misappropriated from its coffers, accusing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of advancing what it described as baseless claims to justify the freezing of the state’s statutory allocation account.
In a statement issued on Thursday via X, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the allegations of financial misconduct, insisting that no public funds had been looted.
The government alleged that the anti-graft agency acted at the instance of former Governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, with the intention of disrupting the payment of palliatives promised to state workers.
“The real reason the commission froze the state account on the order of Gboyega Oyetola was to stop the payment of palliatives which the state government promised workers some months ago,” the statement said.
The state government maintained that despite the account restriction, it had successfully paid the palliatives to all eligible workers after concluding negotiations with labour unions as part of measures to cushion the impact of the country’s economic hardship.
“Fortunately, we have paid the palliatives to all Osun State workers,” the government stated, adding that the cost-of-living support was not the first such intervention introduced by the current administration.
Osun Rejects Looting Allegation
Responding directly to the EFCC’s allegation that about ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations was under investigation, the government insisted there was no financial impropriety.
It described the commission’s claims as an attempt to legitimise what it called an unlawful action.
“All material facts point to the fact that the commission is pursuing a hatchet job for the Osun APC by illegally freezing the state account and falsely accusing the government of looting ecological and other state funds,” the statement read.
The government further defended its financial management, insisting that available public resources have been prudently deployed to execute infrastructure projects, improve workers’ welfare and fund critical sectors of the state’s economy.
“We don’t loot public funds in Osun State; we deliver public goods and services,” it added.
War of Words Deepens
The latest response comes barely a day after the EFCC announced that it had frozen the state’s statutory allocation account as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of approximately ₦11 billion.
The anti-graft agency said the action followed what it described as suspicious transfers of funds from government accounts into several corporate entities, insisting the restriction was necessary to prevent further movement of the funds while investigations continue.
The EFCC has also denied that the action was politically motivated, maintaining that it acted strictly in line with its mandate to safeguard public funds, despite the proximity of the forthcoming Osun governorship election.
The exchange has intensified the face-off between the Osun State Government and the EFCC, with both sides standing firmly by their positions. While the commission insists it is conducting a legitimate anti-corruption investigation, the state government maintains that the allegations are politically driven and intended to undermine its administration.
