Newscenter Media News Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have clashed over allegations that the governor is poised to secure a N56 billion World Bank loan facility.
The APC accused Adeleke’s administration of plunging the state deeper into debt through multiple loan acquisitions. Addressing journalists at the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office, the APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Kola Olabisi, claimed that the state’s debt profile, which he said had already ballooned to N55.3 billion, could reach N81.6 billion under Adeleke’s tenure.
Olabisi alleged that the state secretly obtained N10 billion and N3.92 billion in domestic loans in 2023 and signed off on a $16 million foreign loan (approximately N26.6 billion) for the “Nigeria for Women Project.”
He further stated, “The first phase of the NG-CARES programme ended in June 2024. However, the Osun State governor, we are aware, has been misled to pursue the second phase of the programme. Therefore, the state has signed all relevant documents to signal its intention to participate in the second phase, which amounts to $35 million (equivalent to N56 billion).”
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In response, Governor Adeleke dismissed the APC’s claims as “illiterate postulations” and baseless allegations. Speaking through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor described the APC’s statements as misleading.
Rasheed stated, “Normally, we are not surprised because the APC in Osun has reached a point where they have nothing constructive to say. They cannot fault our service delivery or good governance across sectors, and we continue to receive accolades and awards from far and near.”
He questioned the APC’s understanding of the situation, emphasizing that the NG-CARES programme is not a loan initiated by Adeleke’s administration.
“How can you call the NG-CARES programme a loan? It is a World Bank project that we inherited from former Governors Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola. It is not our matter; it’s a federal matter. There are so many illiterate postulations coming from the APC,” Rasheed asserted.
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