Group threatens to drag Osun Speaker, Egbedun before anti-graft agencies

The Osun Masterminds, TOM, an Osun-based civil society organisation, has once again threatened to drag Adewale Egbedun, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly to anti-graft agencies over his alleged failure to make public details of an expenditure of N886,459,882.49 (eight hundred and eighty-six million, four hundred and fifty-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two Naira, forty-nine kobo) for the months of July, August, and September 2023.

In a press conference addressed by TOM’s Executive Director, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli on Tuesday in Osogbo, the group which revealed that it made the request under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, stated that Egbedun has neither responded to the direct letter to his office nor reacted to the public request.

The group said, “It is unfortunate that till date, the leadership of the House of Assembly has carried itself with such arrogance that one will be left wondering if the House considers itself bigger than citizens of the State.

“For emphasis, one of our constituent organizations, Centre for Sustained Dialogue, had written a direct letter to the Office of Adewale Egbedun, the Speaker of the Assembly, demanding details of the same expenditure.

“We made a public request for the same in our December address but until today, he has neither responded to the direct letter to his office nor reacted to our public request.

“You will recall that in our December 2023 State of the State address, we made a Freedom of Information request to the Osun State House of Assembly, under Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, asking him to make public the details of an expenditure of eight hundred and eighty-six million, four hundred and fifty-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two Naira, forty-nine kobo (N886,459,882.49) for the months of July, August, and September 2023 (Quarter 3).

“This leaves us with no choice but to approach anti-graft agencies to come and take a look at the books of the Osun State House of Assembly under Adewale Egbedun.

“If he is bigger than us, he cannot be bigger than agencies of government saddled with the responsibilities of fighting corruption.”

The group claimed that the Speaker’s behaviour of ignoring calls for accountability and probity was irresponsible.

“We are deeply saddened that a young, new entrant into the public service is acting in such a manner,” it said.

However, the spokesperson of the Speaker, did not respond to enquiries as of the time of this report.