Oyetola appointing cronies as perm secs, Adeleke alleges

Osun State governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Monday alleged plans by the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, to appoint his cronies as Permanent Secretaries.

The allegation was contained in a statement signed by Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Adeleke, specifically alleging that the Oyetola administration planned to appoint 15 new permanent secretaries weeks before the end of his tenure.

The statement said Oyetola was already compiling names of his loyalists he planned to appoint as PS, adding that the appointees might be announced any moment.

It further maintained that Adeleke when he assumed reign, would re-assess the state of the bureaucracy in the state, with a view to enforce due process and ensure appropriate placement of senior personnel into various positions through an open and merit-based process.

It, therefore, called on Oyetola to shelve the plan as it was tantamount to exercising appointive power not only at the wrong time, but at a time the electorate had anointed a new leader.

“We note that Oyetola has been running the government with just about nine permanent secretaries for the past three and half years. How he came about the idea of increasing the number at the twilight of his administration’s tenure is still not clear.

“As an outgoing Governor, it cannot be good intentioned for you to appoint critical officials like permanent secretaries when a new leader is about to take over the administration of the state. The incoming governor has the right to determine the team he will work with. It should be clear that predetermining the make up of incoming government is an effort in futility.

“The outgoing Governor’s decision is therefore in bad taste and a continuation of current efforts to destabilise the incoming administration.

“We also call on senior bureaucrats not to accept any Greek gift that may end up hurting their career. To be forewarned, is to be careful,” the statement concluded.

But when contacted for reaction, Special Adviser to Osun governor on Political Affairs, Sunday Akere, said Oyetola’s first tenure would only end in the midnight of November 26, saying whatever action is taken before then was within the law.

Akere said, “It is unfortunate that the PDP seems not to know what is right to what is wrong. For goodness sake, the first term of Gov Gboyega Oyetola ends on midnight of November 26, 2022.

“Whatever action or decision taken by the governor is covered by the laws of the land. PDP should wait for their turn, if any and allow us to deliver on the mandate given to us by the people of Osun State.”