APC Governor, Aregbesola Probed By EFCC For Allegedly Diverting Osun State Funds
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Osun State Governor[/caption]
Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, is currently being probed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), for allegedly diverting funds meant for projects in the state.
A human rights group, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) had written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari accusing the governor and some of his aides of diverting LG allocations.
The group also accused the governor of suspending construction of democratic structures in the local governments and mismanaging funds allocated to them.
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The CSCEOS’s petition read in part, “To affirm this illegality and unconstitutionality, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola suspended the democratic system in the constitutionally recognized 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State by appointing the grade level 14 local government staff as ‘council managers’ to man the council areas of the state instead of ‘democratically-elected chairmen and councilors’ as stipulated in Section 7(1) of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in order to give Aregbesola a leeway in the criminal diversion of local government funds.
“That the Federal Government, the National Assembly and its anti-graft agencies should investigate the acclaimed road projects embarked upon by Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola on behalf of the local government areas of the state without following the due process of the Public Procurement Act.
“The violation of all due process in managing the public finances of Osun State by Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has been seriously impacting negatively on the lives of the state masses including the state and local government local workers with their retirees alike.”
EFCC’s Zonal Head, Ibadan, Akaninyene Ezima, who acknowledged receipt of the letter, said investigations had commenced into the matter.
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“This is to acknowledge the receipt of your petition dated April 4, 2016, captioned Report of Illegal Diversion of 30 Local Governments’ monthly allocations by the Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola,” the letter said.
“Why Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State is calling for investigation and stoppage of Releasing of Local Government monthly allocations to Osun State through Mr. Rauf Aregbesola and to inform you that investigation has commenced,” it added.
