A civil group, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) says it has uncovered plans by the State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to divert the second tranche of the Paris Club refund of N12.7 billion which accrued to the state, into the funding of the forthcoming Osun West Senatorial bye-election slated to hold on July 8, 2017.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed July 8 for a bye election to replace late Senator Isiaka Adeleke.

“The sum of N75 million was taken to Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State at the weekend for sharing among the thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful that volunteers to be party agents during the forthcoming bye-election in the state and as well agreed to transfer their Voters Card from Lagos to Osun State during the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of 2018 governorship election in the state.

“Mr. Aregbesola had also employed the service of the former Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state who hailed from Lagos State at the sum of N55 million, for bribing of the electoral officials to compromise the system during the forthcoming bye-election in favour of APC candidate, Mudasiru Hussein,” the group said.

It also stated that it was based on these reasons that the state government was silence on the total amount being received by the state out of N516.38 billion that accrued to the 36 states of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and how it planned to spend the money.

CSCEOS further alleged: “Aregbesola has been working on the plan and modality to short-change the workers and pensioners in the state by concluding to use 40 per cent of the N12.7 billion which could only pay just two months out of 12 to 13 months backlogs of salaries and pensions arrears in order to have enough funds to sponsor the forthcoming bye-election and as well divert the remaining funds into other phony projects.”

It stressed that part of “the grand plan of Aregbesola to deceive the civil servants and pensioners in the state, was to begin the payment of two months’ salary and pension arrears out of the backlog, after the conduct of July 8th bye-election, envisaging that the state government might not be able to meet the huge financial expenses of the election, due to the financial buoyancy of the arc-rival of party candidate in the forthcoming election in person of Dr. Ademola Adeleke of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

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