Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State

…Reverses state name

Senator Ademola Adeleke has been sworn in as the sixth governor of Osun State.

He was sworn in by Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, at the Osogbo City Stadium in the state capital, Adeleke took his oath of office at about 11:50am, his deputy, Kola Adewusi, followed suit some 15 minutes later.

Adeleke also reversed the state name from ‘State of Osun’ to ‘Osun State’, saying the former was alien to the constitution.

“My Good People of Osun, since you elected me as your governor on the July 16, 2022, which the Independent National Electoral Commission announced on July 17, 2022, the former Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, maliciously started putting road blocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you.

“Mass employment were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.

Dignitaries that were present at the event included the governor’s nephew and popular musician, Davido who made his first public appearance after his son’s death; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate and Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.

Other dignitaries include the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi who also attended the inauguration of Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Also in attendance were Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa). Former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose was also present.

Adeleke of the PDP won the July 16 governorship election in Osun State after defeating the incumbent and main rival, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is his second shot at the governorship race after having failed in his first attempt in 2018 where he lost to Oyetola.

Meanwhile, the immediate past governor in a farewell statement to Osun residents, said his administration is leaving behind N14 billion cash in the state treasury.

He noted that his government had paid ₦97 billion of the debts it inherited from the administration of Rauf Aregbesola in 2018.

He is also challenging Adeleke’s victory at the election petition tribunal.