Barely 24 hours after his inauguration, Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has suspended the ordered the immediate suspension of the chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, Mr. Segun Oladitan.
The governor also suspended six members, namely Mr. Yusuf Oyeniran, Ms. Suibat Adubi, Mr. Yinka Ajiboye, Mrs. Abosede Omibeku, Mr. Dosu Gidigbi, and Mr. Wahab Adewoyin.
The Secretary to the State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, made the announcement in a statement on Monday.
“This suspension is sequel to several petitions bordering on financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the said chairman and members of the commission.
“Pending the outcome of investigation into the allegations against the suspended chairman and members of the commission, the secretary to the commission shall hold forth in running the affairs of the commission”, the statement said.
Adeleke, in another unexpected move, ordered that all appointments of traditional rulers made by the immediate past administration of Gboyega Oyetola be put on hold.
He said the measure was to ensure strict compliance with the due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies.
This order was contained in six Executive Orders of the governor issued on Monday, November 28, 2022, and made available to journalists in a statement by Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
Adeleke took the oath of office on Sunday, four months after his victory at the July 16 Osun State governorship election.
Contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he defeated Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was seeking re-election.
First Move: Governor Adeleke Freezes Osun Bank Accounts, Vows To ‘Correct Past Injustices’
One of Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke first acts in the office is to direct that all the bank accounts belonging to the state to be frozen till further notice.
He gave the directive shortly after he was sworn in as the sixth Governor of the State.
He also reversed policies introduced by former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and vowed to review all appointments by his predecessor, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, since July 17th 2022 when he lost election.
Adeleke, who was sworn in at the Osogbo Township Stadium on Sunday, November 27, 2022, promised to deliver all his campaign promises.
“Under my watch, I will correct past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by the previous administration which are against the collective interest of our people,” he declared.
He gave an Executive Order to reverse the policies of Aregbesola, which recognised Osun State as State of Osun.
He also announced that the slogan of the State will no longer be ‘State of Virtue’ but ‘State of Living Spring’.
Osun Tribunal Orders INEC To Produce Governor Elect Adeleke’s School Results
The Osun Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Osogbo, on Friday, November 25, 2022, ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmoud Yakubu, to produce Sen. Ademola Adeleke’s results used during the 2018 governorship election in Osun.
The document tagged: “INEC Form CF001” is being demanded by Counsel for the All Progressive Congress, APC, the Petitioners.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume, gave the order in his ruling on the arguments and counter arguments by both the petitioners and the respondents’ counsel as regard the INEC Form CF001.
Kume said it would amount to denying the petitioners their right to fair hearing, after the respondent, INEC, had failed to comply with the subpoena order as regard what the petitioners were demanding for.
He said the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, represented by one Shehu Muhammed, failed to produce the Form CF001 on the excuse that they do not have the document in their custody in the state.
The tribunal chairman said that the petitioner had shown enough grounds with regards to their application/subpoena request.
He ordered INEC Chairman to produce the document on the next date of adjournment.
Kume, therefore, adjourned the case until December 1 for further hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that the Tribunal had on November 16 overruled the respondents (INEC)’s oral application seeking to discountenance a subpoena brought by the petitioner.
NAN further reports that the respondent had earlier brought an application to counter the subpoena request, before withdrawing such on personal grounds and it was struck out by the tribunal.
Source: ChannelsTV
