A civil group under the aegis of Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, his deputy, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Jelili Alamu, and other management staff of the University over an alleged N500 million fraud in the construction of the University Library, particularly, in Osogbo main campus of the institution and other projects.

The group also urged the EFCC to commence immediate investigation into the geometrical inflation of the contract sum by 300 Per cent by ensuring the returning of all the padded funds in the contract sum, which it claimed has been diverted into private pockets of a few individuals. “Meanwhile, Mr. Aregbesola and his co-travelers, including top management members of the

University, have concluded arrangement to quickly commission the Library project which is due for completion in the next few weeks so as to cover-up the investigation of the anti-graft agency on the project in question which only gulped the sum of N180 million but was inflated to N361 million by the Tenders Board Committee on the order of the State Executive Council (SEC) under the watch of Aregbesola.”

CSCEOS said it would not fold its arms and by allowing Aregbesola and his cronies to be siphoning the meager resources of Osun State under the guise of putting infrastructure in place while the people are dying of hunger, misery and abject poverty. It added that “this has been the trade mark of Aregbesola’s government since its inception in November 27th 2010.

In a petition dated Thursday 15th, September, 2016 with the attachment of convince evidences and signed by CSCEOS Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sualiman, which was forwarded to the EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magun and made available to newsmen on Wednesday, the society urged the EFCC to commence immediate investigation into the matter after receiving its petition on what it called “mind boggling corrupt practices of Aregbesola and his co-travelers.”

The petition reads in part, “After our thorough private investigation into the subject matter and securing of the necessary relating documents from the appropriate quarters, we are compelled to write this petition to the authority of your anti-graft agency in line with Sections 15 sub-section(5) and 24 sub-section(1e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(FRN) as amended and Freedom of Information Act 2011 and National Human Rights Commission act 2010 (amendment) where Freedom of Speech and expression are highlighted.

“We wish to inform your good office of our discovery of another mindboggling corrupt practice by the Osun State government in which they fraudulently inflate the contract sum of the Construction of Osogbo and Okuku Campuses’ Library and other related projects in Osun State University (UNIOSUN), which sum of N.5bilion public funds were diverted and siphoned by the state governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, his Deputy, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Secretary to the State Government (SSG),Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, Osun State Tenders Board Secretaries, Messers Kunle Akionla and Olawumi,O.T., Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdul-Jelili Alamu, Acting Registrar, Mr. Bayo Shittu, Acting Bursar, Mr. Samson Adebolu Adegbite and University Director of Works, Mr. Samson Ade Adepoju.

“Others that are supposed to be invited for interrogation and clarification on this financial impropriety of public funds meant for University developmental project are; Former Acting Vice-Chancellors, Professor Bashir Okesina and Professor Ganiyu O. Olatunde respectively, former University Registrar and Secretary to the University Governing Council, Dr. J.O. Faniran, former Bursar, Alhaji Fatai Lasisi, former University Acting Director of Works, Builder Odetoyinbo Abiodun, Tender Board Secretaries, Olawuni O.T. and Kunle Akiola respectively and Permanent Secretary, office of the SSG, Mr. Demola Akinyemi. Also, the Chief Executive Officer of De-Kingly Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ademola Olapade, and Executive Chairman, Beton Bau Nigeria Limited, Architect Dunni Opayemi should be invited by your anti-graft agency because they are the main actors in the execution of the project in question.”

•Photo shows CSCEOS Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi.

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