A politically affiliated group, The Osun Masterminds, has advised the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to avoid acting in ways that can undermine the integrity of any other arm of government.
The group allegedly made this statement while addressing a press conference on Monday in Osogbo, in response to reports that Adeleke was insistent on installing a certain person as Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.
Daily Post reported that condemning the alleged planned move against the established rules of the House, the group advised that any interference that undermines the integrity and independence of the House would set a bad precedent for governance.
They said, “The media space is awash with reports of the Governor’s insistence on installing a certain person as Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, against the established rules of the House.
“While he wields political influence over members-elect, he must know that the House they are elected to serve in, is an independent arm of government with its own standing rules that must be obeyed.
“Any interference that undermines the integrity and independence of the House sets a bad precedent for our governance and we condemn in its entirety.”
The group’s Executive Director, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli revealed that the group had outlined a number of issues that the Adeleke administration must pay attention to.
These issues included the functionality of boreholes, where it observed that majority of the boreholes were still not functioning and government procurement, where it revealed that unconfirmed reports showed that government procurement activities have not been straightforward since the Adeleke government came on board.
Advising the government to avoid the allure of white elephant projects, they suggested that the state government should execute more robust engagements before taking actions going forward.
In a swift reaction, the state government revealed that its procurements complied with due process and the borehole projects were yet to be commissioned.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday and signed by the Spokesperson to the Governor, Olawale Rasheed.
He said, “Osun State Government has assured the public that its projects design and procurement activities comply with best practices, due process and project management norms; the statewide borehole projects are soon to be equipped with generating sets before commissioning for public use.
“Project choice across the sectors follows its avowed principles of grassroots development, local infrastructure agenda, peoples’ first philosophy and urgency of local -state connectivity; those principles are put into practice by a team of competent professionals who are delivering on roads, bridges, boreholes, channelisation, water provisions, health care, among others.
“We affirm that current projects are being professionally executed and delivered as can be attested to by the Ikirun-Osogbo road, several local roads, culverts, bridges, boreholes among others.
“The ongoing massive delivery of projects are products of due diligence and need analysis based on the five point agenda and reports of the Adeleke Transition Committee.”
