▪︎ Adeleke puts Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, Diran Odeyemi, and others on payroll to comfort them – Source
▪︎ Ex-caretaker chair and Ondo native penciled down for Health commissioner – source
▪︎ Kayode Igbalaye, Kolade Apesin exclusively in charge of state contracts – source
Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Adeleke dynasty’s poorly handled electoral victories have unsettled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leading to numerous complaints and charges from loyal fans and political allies barely seven months in power.
Following the nomination of specific individuals into offices and the distribution of contracts, among other things, some core party members, including followers of the Adeleke dynasty, have been at odds with Senator Ademola Adeleke.
A power struggle erupted following the appointment of Teslim Igbalaye as Secretary to the State Government, Kazeem Akinleye as Chief of Staff to the Governor, and Olawale Rasheed as the Governor’s Spokesperson. The crisis worsened after the Supreme Court upheld Senator Ademola Adeleke’s victory.
According to information obtained by WITHIN NIGERIA, the power struggle that began early on in the Adeleke-led administration was managed clandestinely by interested parties up until the point where the governor’s choice to choose new assembly members for the Osun State aggravated it.
As Speaker of the Assembly, some members of the party favoured Tajudeen Adeyemi, an Ikirun-born politician, while others supported Wale Egbedun, the governor’s favorite.
The situation worsened when Kehinde Raji, an Osogbo-born contractor and the head of the ‘Imoleans’ political party, posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, June 24 that Teslim Igbalaye, another Osogbo native who was appointed as the State Government’s secretary, is only titular and nominal, and that certain forces are preventing the office from operating as required by the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution.
The main opposition party’s (All Progressives Congress) supporters amplified the Facebook post, giving some aggrieved party members a chance to air their complaints.
In an interview with a local radio station in the state called Rave fm, Kehinde Raji further disclosed that his hometown of Osogbo had not benefited fairly from political appointments and that Teslim Igbalaye, Osogbo native was not permitted to work freely in the office.
He further said that he was taken aback when they informed him that the documentation for earlier contracts he had with the Osun State Government were missing, preventing him from accessing millions that the government owed him.
He also said that Chief Mrs. Dupe Adeleke, the matriarch of the Adeleke dynasty, had stopped picking his calls for some time and that he was advised by some persons to go and make prostrations at the Adelekes’ country estate for forgiveness.
He equally stated that he received no dime from the Adelekes during the gubernatorial election and the only fund he collected was for Najeem Salam, former Osun Speaker and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he later debunked.
Findings by WITHIN NIGERIA revealed that hundreds of Adeleke’s supporters are upset about unfavorable political appointments and feel they have been deserted by the family. They vented their frustrations in the form of comments, quick articles, and videos.
The reporter came across a live video posted on Facebook by one of the Adeleke dynasty’s social media operatives, popularly known as “Governor Ifedolapo Osun.”
Ifedolapo claimed in the live video that Mallam Olawale Rasheed kicked him out of the governor’s media team’s official Whatsapp group after he posted an audio note supporting Osogbo-born contractor Kehinde Raji and pleaded with his colleagues not to mock the said contractor for speaking his mind.
While claiming to have no issues with Governor Adeleke and his family, Ifedolapo accused Mallam Olawale Rasheed of abandoning those who toiled assiduously to ensure Senator Ademola Adeleke’s victory, among others, by appointing All Progressives Congress (APC) members as the Governor’s media aides.
Allies on the payroll include Bunmi Jenyo, Diran Odeyemi, and others – Source
A dependable source in Adeleke’s camp, who wished to remain anonymous, informed WITHIN NIGERIA that while some members of the aforementioned “Kitchen cabinet” are not pleased about the disregard of individuals who worked diligently for the party, it is simply the way things are.
The source added that although some people, including Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, Diran Odeyemi, Oluwaseyi Olaitan among others, were not awarded posts, they are consoled by having them on the payroll.
These people get more money than appointees do. They don’t even need to work. They simply get paid at the end of each month. According to the reputable source, the governor had to make the salary settlement in order to comfort these individuals and avert escalation of the issue at hand.
The source addressed the claim that Teslim Igbalaye is the titular SSG and indicated that it is not wholly untrue.
Despite his boorish handling of the situation, Kehinde Raji wasn’t entirely right. He isn’t really a politician, I think now. Despite having stringent limitations, the SSG is not really a titular character. He has no other options but to follow some people’s orders and cannot exercise any influence or power. He is, the source asserted, if that qualifies him as a titular.
The source claimed that Teslim Igbalaye’s brother Kayode Igbalaye, a contractor, has received contracts from this administration worth N500m. He received the majority of the 332 borehole projects that were to be built throughout the state’s wards. Another problem totally is the project’s sluggish progress.
The insider further stated that Kolade Apesin is a recipient of contracts for road projects. Additionally, he has contacted Chief Dupe Adeleke, the governor’s sister, and advocated for his elder brother to be selected chairman of the Olorunda local government
The source claimed that Dr. Adekunle Akindele, the former caretaker chairman of the party and a native of Ondo State, was originally slated to be the commissioner for health but was later changed to Special Adviser on Public Health as a result of protests from some quarters within the camp, which helped to explain the ire of the party members who felt wronged.
Calls made to Adeleke’s spokeswoman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, and a few other media aides for their reactions were not returned as of the time of reporting this article.
