Adegboyega Adelabu, former Special Adviser on Youth and Sports under the administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, has countered the claim by the then Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr Yemi Lawal that the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Osun, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, stopped the construction of the Osogbo Stadium project.
Lawal had while appearing on Western Spring Television Morning Spring programme, alleged that Oyebamiji, who was serving as the state Commissioner for Finance, stopped the construction of the Osogbo Stadium project.
But Adelabu in a statement on Sunday, said Oyebamiji never stopped any project while in office, noting that the claim by Lawal was misleading.
“Let’s make the record straight: government projects are collective decisions backed by official approvals and institutional processes, not personal whims. Such approvals can only be stopped by the institution which initiated them. Also, such project approvals are implemented subject to the availability of funds at every given period.
“Therefore, only characters driven by mischief and lacking a basic understanding of governance would suggest that a commissioner, no matter how influential, can unilaterally stop a project that has been duly approved by the State Executive Council,” Adelabu said.
Providing more information on the circumstances surrounding the stadium project, the former special adviser, said the project was awarded by Oyetola’s predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
He said the project was reviewed upon assumption of office of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, adding that the state Executive Council directed the Ministry of Youth and Sports to engage the contractor and review the contract terms.
“The council finally approved that the project be executed in phases, beginning with perimeter fencing, followed by grassing and the installation of sporting facilities.
“A significant progress was made on the fencing phase before boundary disputes and court actions initiated by some land grabbers, popularly known as “Omo Onile,” halted further work.
“After efforts to resolve the disputes, the contract was re-awarded, funds made available by the Ministry of Finance headed by Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, and work resumed. Before Governor Oyetola left office, the grassing phase had been substantially completed. So it is not correct that the Osogbo Stadium project was abandoned by the Oyetola government or frustrated by AMBO,” Adelabu said.
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