By Michael Adeyemo
A socio-cultural group operating under the aegis of Osun Renewal Forum has cautioned Governor Ademola Adeleke over the continuous trend of his ‘lopsided’ appointment to his kinsmen in Ede.
The group who rose from its quarterly meeting in a statement released by the President, Wale Salami, warned that this seeming trend of nepotism, if not checked could overshadow the gains made by the Adeleke administration.
“We have followed the Adeleke administration since November 27 last year and are happy with the pace it started with and the developmental agenda of the Governor.”
“However, what began as a normal coincidence is now beginning to look like a well-orchestrated plan by Ede to assert his dominance over major towns in Osun. This we note will put a dent of the Governor’s second term ambition, if any.”
“With Ede holding firmly the State as Governor and Chief of Staff through Governor Ademola Adeleke and Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye. One would have thought having Babajide Kofoworola as the House Majority Leader, Kolapo Idris as the State Auditor General, Maruf Ayofe as Commissioner for ICT, BT Salam as Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Sunday Atidade as Chairman Housing Loan Board, 5 Special Advisers, 8 Permanent Secretaries, several SSAs and Bursar of University of Ilesa would be more than enough for Ede.”
“The furore of having to fraudulently snatch the position of Rector of the Iree Polytecnic from another town to pave the way for an abysmal and unqualified candidate from Ede affirmed the innate motive to perpetuate Ede in power”
The group also noted it was an aggregate of figures that gave Senator Adeleke the margin he won with, not Ede alone. “If not for the resolve of voters from notable places like Iwoland, Ijeshaland, Ife, Osogbo that closed up the margin, the so-called margin from Ede would have been useless. We hope the governor will begin to correct this anomaly with future appointment, failure in which may portend grave danger to his 2026 ambition.” Salami noted