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Governor Adeleke Dethrones 3 Monarchs, Suspends Chairman, Members Of Osun Electoral Body, OSIEC

Adeleke
November 28, 2022

The directive also affected members of the commission.

Barely 24 hours after taking over as the governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has ordered the immediate suspension of the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Segun Oladitan.

The directive also affected members of the commission. 

He also dethroned three traditional rulers appointed by his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

SaharaReporters had reported that the governor had shortly after assuming office as the governor of Osun State, ordered that all government accounts in the state be frozen.

While issuing the directive in his first executive order upon inauguration on Sunday, Adeleke alleged that his predecessor Oyetola carried out some actions he described as “malicious” after the July 16 governorship election,

He said such actions include employing without any provisions for sustenance.

He claimed that the actions of his predecessor were a booby trap intended to make things difficult for his administration.

Adeleke also reversed the appellation of the state from ‘State of Osun’ to ‘Osun State’, saying the former was alien to the constitution.

“Mass employments were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.

“Appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few,” he said on Sunday.

However, barely 24 hours after his inauguration, Adeleke, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, said the suspension of the six members of the commission was with immediate effect.

The suspension was said to have been based on several petitions bordering on alleged financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the members of OSIEC and its chairman.

The affected members of the state electoral body are Mr. Yusuf Oyeniran, Alhaja Suibat Adubi, Prince Yinka Ajiboye, Mrs. Abosede Omibeku, Mr. Dosu Gidigbi and Mr. Wahab Adewoyin.

“The Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Adeleke, has directed the immediate suspension of the Chairman of OSIEC, Segun Oladitan,” adding the abovementioned members of the commission were also affected.

“This suspension is sequel to several petitions bordering on financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the said Chairman and members of the Commission.

 

“Pending the outcome of investigation into the allegations against the suspended chairman and members of the Commission, the Secretary to the Commission shall hold forth in running the affairs of the Commission,” it said.

Adeleke in a statement issued through his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed also announced that the thrones of Akirun of Akirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo would now be unoccupied pending the outcome of a Committee of Inquiry to review their appointments and subsequent installations.

Former Governor Oyetola had appointed several monarchs a few weeks before handing over government to Adeleke. The monarchs are Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Yinusa Akadiri; Aree of Iree, Oba Ademola Oluponle and Oba Adegboyega Famodun.

In the statement, the governor’s aide said that the six Executive Orders issued by the governor which border on the reversal of the monarchs’ appointments and placement of civil servants, employment and freezing of government accounts had been signed and would take immediate effect.

 

“All appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after 17th July, 2022, are hereby ordered to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies. In the case of Ikirun, Iree and Igbajo, to avoid further breakdown of law and order, the appointments of Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Ire and Owa of Igbajo are hereby put on hold pending review. Subsequently, the palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge.

 

“All employments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after July 17th, 2022 be and are hereby nullified," he said.

 

The governor, according to the statement, also ordered the reversal of appointments into civil service and directed the heads of government agencies to embark on staff audits immediately.

 

“All Heads of Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals of Osun State Government are hereby directed to carry out an immediate staff audit of the actual number of government workers in their various Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals, as at 17th July 2022, and should file a report to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor stating the full details and position/designation of each of the staff on the forwarded list, within 7 working days from the date of this Executive order using the attached Oath of Fidelity Template.

 

“All appointments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after 17th July, 2022 be and are hereby reversed," the statement reads.

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