The Spokesperson to the Governor of Osun State, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, has thrown a 30-point challenge to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, calling on him to provide what he described as sincere answers to issues surrounding his public service record and political aspirations.
In a statement released on Sunday, Rasheed said the questions cover Oyebamiji's tenure as Managing Director of the Osun State Investment Company (OSICOL), Commissioner for Finance, Chairman of the State Procurement Board, and Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), as well as matters relating to his governorship campaign.
The Governor's spokesman listed the following questions:
1. As the head of Osun State Investment Company (OSICOL), why did you superintend over the liquidation, sales and off-loading of state properties in Lagos and Abuja without proper accountability and compliance with due process?
2. If you were acting under directive, why did you not resign instead of implementing processes that robbed the state of valuable assets?
3. As OSICOL boss, Osun investments across sectors were under your watch. Why were Osun mining investments, especially the Segilola project, managed in ways that deprived the state of its rightful shares and earnings until Governor Ademola Adeleke renegotiated and normalised Osun's shareholding and earnings into the state treasury?
4. If you again deny knowledge or responsibility, will it be assumed that you were not competent enough to handle your responsibility as OSICOL boss?
5. As Finance Commissioner, why did you authorise the transfer of Osun shares at Omoluabi to a proxy firm under a less-than-transparent process as attested to by a letter in our possession?
6. Why did you direct the proceeds from the share transfer to be paid into the OSICOL account instead of the state treasury? Is that not a breach of state finance regulations?
7. If you intend to falsely blame Mr. Boluwaduro, your predecessor as Finance Commissioner, did you remember there is a letter you duly signed which authorised the transferring of Osun shares as noted above?
8. If you still insist on denial, what will you tell Osun people if the letter you signed to authorise the transfer is published for the public to see?
9. As Finance Commissioner, why did you pursue anti-workers' policies by implementing half salaries and non-payment of pension debt?
10. If you insist on denying as usual, are you aware that pictures and documents confirming your involvement from the beginning to the end are in our possession and in the public domain?
11. As Commissioner for Finance, why did you retain Chams as payroll manager instead of activating the World Bank-supported SIFMIS application for payroll management?
12. Why did you apply SIFMIS in budget and other financial management minus payroll management where you retained Chams? Was there a deal between your office and Chams?
13. As Finance Commissioner, why did you support the decapitation of the public service through the non-appointment of Permanent Secretaries, non-payment of promotion allowances and the promotion of anti-labour initiatives?
14. As Finance Commissioner, why did you allow the turning of the $20 million World Bank Health Grant into a slush fund for sharing through a State Executive Council committee?
15. As Chairman of the Procurement Board, why did you disallow the procurement agency from implementing the health grant in line with procurement regulations and due process?
16. Why did you, at a meeting of the procurement agency which you chaired, overrule technical officials who called your attention to the alleged illegality in the handling of the $20 million grant?
17. Why did you, as Finance Commissioner, supervise capital flight out of Osun State to Lagos State, thereby depriving the state of local content opportunities?
18. Why did you fail to sustainably reduce Osun's debt, which the Adeleke administration says has now been reduced by 40 percent?
19. Why did you, as Chairman of the Procurement Agency, politicise the agency, install your loyalists and allegedly violate procurement laws in several authorisations?
20. Why did you deprive Osun State University of adequate funding, leading to the abandonment of critical capital projects necessary for maintaining accreditation in several programmes?
21. As Finance Commissioner and a key member of the immediate past administration, why did you deprive the University of Ilesa of take-off grants after its establishment was announced?
22. As head of NIWA, why did Nigeria record over 1,000 waterway deaths under your watch?
23. Why did NIWA workers allegedly celebrate the day you were removed as the agency's head?
24. Are you worried that your democratic credentials have been tarnished by the undemocratic nature of your emergence as your party's governorship candidate?
25. Why are you, according to your critics, so scared of the ballot and the people while repeatedly relying on "federal might" as your main strength?
26. Why did you remove "Munirudeen" from your INEC nomination documents? Are you no longer bearing the name?
27. Why did you hurriedly withdraw your manifesto after one of your top aides released it in the dead of the night a few months ago?
28. Why have you not released your final campaign manifesto since the withdrawal of the first copy?
29. Why are you allegedly promoting religious bigotry in a state widely known for unity in diversity?
30. As a key leader in the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, and with what your critics describe as several unresolved questions about your record in office, why should the people of Osun trust you with the state's highest office?
Rasheed said Oyebamiji owes the people of Osun clear and honest answers to each of the questions, adding that accountability is a fundamental requirement for anyone seeking to govern the state.
He concluded by warning that should the APC candidate fail to respond satisfactorily, documents which he claimed support the allegations would be made public.
As of the time of filing this report, Bola Oyebamiji and the Osun State chapter of the APC had not issued any response to the challenge.
