Former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has denied claims by Governor Ademola Adeleke that he gave him a vehicle, describing the allegation as “far from the truth”.
Oyinlola said the vehicles were provided to him by the Osun State Government as part of his entitlements under a law enacted by the state’s House of Assembly.
He spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, following his decision to withdraw his support for Adeleke’s re-election bid and endorse the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
“That is far from the truth. It’s a sad development that the governor will continue to tell lies.
“The Osun State House of Assembly enacted the law whereby approval [is given] to whoever has governed the state. One of the things that you approve for a former governor is that for every four years, his vehicle should be changed,” the ex-governor said.
Oyinlola, who said he had been out of government for 16 years, argued that he was still entitled to three more vehicles under the provision.
“I have been out of the Osun State Government in the last 16 years. If you aggregate it, it means the state is still having to give out three vehicles. It wasn’t Ademola that gave me the vehicle; it was the Osun State Government. It is a law of the state enacted by the House of Assembly,” he said.
The former governor also said other benefits provided for former governors under the law included security personnel, a cook and drivers.
He rejected the suggestion that he had approached Adeleke to ask for a vehicle, saying he had no reason to do so.
“I did not walk to his place when he said I was begging for a vehicle. By the grace of God, I had started buying cars since I was 21. When I was going to the Government House, I went with my entire convoy.
“So, how will he paint it as if I went to beg? That is a sad development. He should say it the way it is in the law. It is my entitlement, and he still owes me three more vehicles,” Oyinlola said.
The controversy followed Adeleke’s criticism of Oyinlola after the former governor announced his decision to support Oyebamiji, despite having previously backed Adeleke’s re-election.
Speaking at a town hall event on Tuesday, Adeleke accused Oyinlola of repeatedly opposing his political ambitions, including during his 2007 Senate bid and the 2018 and 2022 governorship elections.
Adeleke said Oyinlola later approached him for reconciliation after he won the election, which he accepted because of his “forgiving spirit”.
The governor also claimed that Oyinlola complained about not having a vehicle, prompting him to provide one. Adeleke subsequently dismissed Oyinlola’s political influence, describing him as a “paperweight” and insisting that his decision would not affect the outcome of Saturday’s election.
Oyinlola, however, said his decision to back Oyebamiji was based on his concerns about the lack of inclusiveness in Adeleke’s administration.
The ex-governor announced on Sunday that he and other People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders would support the APC candidate while maintaining that he remained a member of the PDP.
The election is expected to be closely contested, with 15 candidates on the ballot and voters across the state’s 30 local government areas expected to choose the governor who will lead Osun for the next four years.
More than 25,000 security personnel have been deployed for the election, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said preparations for the poll are on course.