APC calls for probe into Osun governor’s aide over alleged contract fraud

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for an investigation into Mr. Kazeem Akinleye, Chief of Staff to Governor Ademola Adeleke, over alleged contract fraud.

The APC’s demands were made in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesman, Mr. Kola Olabisi.

The APC urged Governor Adeleke to refer Akinleye to the Code of Conduct Bureau for investigation over claims that he used his office to secure a N297 million Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) contract, meant for the University of Osun, for his company, Akinsas Interbiz Limited.

Olabisi took the allegations seriously and called for immediate action, dismissing the governor’s explanation as inadequate.

“The governor’s explanation that Akinleye is innocent because he is neither a member of the UNIOSUN Governing Council nor a member of the TETFUND board of directors is false and baseless,” Olabisi said.

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He further questioned the governor’s reasoning, stating, “Does that mean the governor himself can use the instrument of his office to attract attention or make contracts for his company in a state-owned institution under the pretext that he resigned from his directorship while in office? The drafters of the law did not envision that a public official would resign his interest in a company just so that the company could get a lucrative contract in a state where the company’s founder is the chief policymaker and administrator.”

Olabisi stressed, “While we are of the view that Akinsas Interbiz Limited is free to bid for contracts in any public institution in the country, irrespective of the current status of its founder, it would be inappropriate for such business activities to include seeking contracts in state-owned institutions in Osun, where Mr. Kazeem Akinleye is the alpha and omega and de facto governor.”

In response, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke’s spokesman, defended Akinleye by insisting that he had resigned from the company prior to his appointment as Chief of Staff.

Rasheed stated, “Akinleye cannot be held accountable for the company’s business operations because he was never present at any board of directors meeting or deliberation that discussed the contract.”

Rasheed dismissed the APC allegations as a diversion, saying they would not deter the ongoing prosecution of former officials of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration over the handling of contracts. He said, “The state APC is very scared of the conclusion of the forensic investigation by the state contract review committee and the official document implementation committee led by Hon Kolapo Alimi which virtually indicted many former top officials of the former administration.”

Rasheed added, “The state APC may be aware of the details of the numerous contract frauds, the companies used in carrying out the fraudulent schemes and their directors are already in the hands of the implementation committee which is now ready to proceed to prosecution.” He concluded that the APC’s attempt to tarnish the reputation of top government officials, including Chief of Staff Kazeem Akinleye, was a failed strategy.

APC calls for probe of Osun governor’s aide over alleged contract fraud first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.