APC, Adeleke Fight Dirty Over Osun Debt Profile
2 min read
The ongoing dispute over the state of Osun’s debt portfolio has intensified, with Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration clashing sharply with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
This latest war of words comes on the heels of a statement released by Adeleke’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, claiming significant reductions in the state’s debt under the current administration.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Rasheed refuted allegations that the Adeleke-led government had burdened the state with additional debt, instead highlighting that the administration had successfully reduced the state’s financial obligations by repaying a substantial portion of inherited debts.
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“The truth remains that Osun State’s debt profile has actually reduced under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the last two years. Data doesn’t lie and cannot be hidden,” Rasheed asserted.
Rasheed went on to cite figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), which showed a dramatic decrease in both domestic and foreign debt levels. As of June 2024, Osun’s domestic debt stood at N86.06 billion, a sharp reduction from N148.37 billion in December 2022.
The state’s foreign debt also dropped from $91.78 million to $78.17 million during the same period.
“This translates to a payment of N62.31 billion in domestic debt and $13.61 million in foreign debt,” Rasheed explained, stressing that the financial burden inherited from the APC-led government could have been better used for the development of the state.
However, the APC’s response was swift and dismissive. Kola Olabisi, the party’s spokesperson in Osun, rejected the claims made by Rasheed, questioning the accuracy of the figures and accusing the current administration of misleading the public.
“Whatever he is pushing to the public now regarding the state debt portfolio is an afterthought which cannot be relied upon,” Olabisi stated.
“We didn’t cook what was published. It’s already in the public domain. Where did Olawale get his own figures?” he demanded.
The APC spokesperson also accused the Adeleke administration of shifting blame for its alleged failings onto the previous government, calling it a transparent attempt to deflect responsibility.
“They can’t continue to blame us for their ineptitude,” Olabisi added.
The war of words over Osun’s financial management has revealed deepening rifts between the ruling and opposition parties, each accusing the other of mismanaging the state’s finances.
