A sociopolitical group in Osun State, Osun Progressive Vanguard, OPV, has disclosed that the poor performance of Governor Ademola Adeleke in fiscal responsibility has taken the state backwards.

A statement issued by the group’s Coordinator, Oluwole Fashoyin, and Publicity Secretary, Miftau Adebowale, stated that the criticism stems was based on the dwindling Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, poor value-added tax generation, and a flawed budgeting system, which has become the hallmarks of the current administration.

“A cursory look at the available records of Osun’s fiscal performance since the commencement of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s tenure in November 2022 reveals a bleak, sordid, and ignoble status, placing the state among those with poor fiscal parameters due to the abysmal and reckless leadership style that characterizes the current administration. The same Osun State was fiscally healthy and viable under the previous administration before Governor Adeleke took office.

“It is saddening to see Osun under Governor Adeleke in a continuous slide, steadily slipping backwards from the stable and secure progress it achieved in fiscal performance under previous administrations. The state’s ranking in IGR collection dropped from 16th in 2022 to 20th in 2023, while neighboring Ekiti State, which had been far behind, recorded a 75% growth, jumping from 26th position in 2022 to 15th in 2023.

“Worse still, Ekiti State, with a population of around half of Osun’s, recorded 29.58 billion naira in Value-added Tax generation, compared to Osun’s 14.79 billion naira in 2024. Such poor fiscal performance reeks of Governor Adeleke’s inability to pilot the state’s affairs to the required greatness, and his retrogressive policies could take the state about 10 years to salvage. As a matter of fact, this reprehensible situation can’t be unexpected in a state where revenue remittances of key ministries like that of Environment Ministry were uncovered to have been allegedly paid into bank accounts of private individuals, depicting the height of financial leakages and malfeasances ongoing in the Adeleke-led administration.

“Consequently, it is glaring that the Osun helmsman is complacent about development, as he has not come with a populist agenda to serve the best interests of the masses within the purview of engendering socioeconomic development, but rather to serve the interests of his few aristocratic class. This is in addition to a lack of ideas needed to position the state on the path of economic prosperity.

“However, we admonish the dancing governor to, at least for the interest of the state’s patrimony, eschew the euphoria of merriment for some time and take up a mandatory public policy and governance tutoring class from his brother governor in Ekiti State, who has astoundingly turned things around with his magic wand. Maybe that could help bring a sigh of relief to Osun State,” the statement reads in part.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi described the allegations raised as baseless and irresponsible.

“All the allegations raised by the opposition group are irresponsible. They are struggling to play opposition, which blurred their sense of reasoning. If Osun is financially buoyant in 2022, why did they incurred billions of Naira debt in the state? They refused to pay salary arrears and pensions for retirees.

“Since Adeleke came on board he has paid 8 months salary arrears and 18 months pension to retirees. Adeleke through financial probity has increased the IGR of the state”.