Oyetola Did Not Owe Salary, Claims He Did Preposterous - Omipidan

The media aide for former Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan has debunked claims by the Ademola Adeleke administration that the state owed salary and pension to the tune of ₦76 billion.

In a personally signed statement made available on Thursday, Omipidan also described the claims as outlandish and preposterous.

"Our suspicion is that they have gone to dig up the arrears owed by their partner and collaborator, the settlement of which they used to hoodwink some workers ahead of July 16 governorship contest.

"For the umpteenth time, let me place it on record that for four years, we did not owe a dime in payment of salaries, while we made conscious efforts to reduce the backlog of pensions and gratuities we inherited. 

"This also explains why for four years we did not witness any industrial dispute.

"By their figure, what it means is that we owed salaries for close to one year. 

"Is that possible? The Labour Union can also bears testimony to the fact that we never left any salary unpaid in our time, just as we did not take any bank loan for four years."

He accused Governor Adeleke and his team of riding on a populism mantra even as they do not understand the concept and philosophy of populism.

"That's why they have resorted to blackmail. On the day of inauguration, the Governor said it would take time for him to pay salaries because he needed to freeze government account to enable him to look at the books. 

"Today, he is saying he frowns at delay in payment of salary.

"And for November salary, we actually signed off since November 20th. I am sure we are in for more drama."

The governor on Thursday revealed that there is carryover of N76 billion in debt as salaries, pensions from the Oyetola administration.

The governor's spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed in a statement credited the revelation to the Osun State Ministry of Finance during a briefing of officials of the new administration on the financial status of the state on Thursday.

The breakdown of the debt was given as: 

(I) Salary: ₦29,875,191,128.64, 

(II) Pension Arrears: ₦45,375,237,693.40

(III) Group Life Assurance Scheme: ₦554,644,028.97. 

Total: ₦75,805,072,851.01

The statement also noted that other sources of liabilities would still be available to the public with regards to the total debt left by the past administration.

The former governor, Adegboyega Oyetola in his farewell address to the state had stated that he was leaving behind ₦14billion.

Recall that in the farewell address of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, he revealed to the citizens of the state that he was leaving behind ₦14billion in cash.