Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, on Sunday, March 12, 2023, decried the maltreatment of residents of the state by banks that refused to collect old N500 and N1,000 notes.
The Osun State government had been informed that commercial banks in the state were declining deposits of the old currency even after paying customers with the same old notes.
A statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, lamented the pains and suffering of the people of Osun State over the action of the banks.
The governor revealed that he was aware of the many complaints of the citizens over banks’ refusal of old naira deposits and the attendant negative consequences of such action in society.
“I have received several calls from bank customers across the state. The deliberate refusal of banks to collect old notes is creating serious economic complications for residents of the state. For the banks to issue old notes and refuse to accept old notes as deposits is highly unacceptable.
“I have consequently called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to direct the banks operating in the state to correct the anomalies. The State Director of the CBN is specifically requested to direct the banks to halt this unhealthy practice,” Adeleke stated.
While calling for a stop to the pain inflicted on the people of the state, Gov Adeleke maintained that if banks will not accept old notes as deposits, they should stop issuing the same old notes for withdrawal.
Daily Post reported in February that Adeleke had warned commercial banks operating in the state against hoarding the new naira notes and rejecting the old currency.
On March 3, 2023, the Supreme Court in a judgment directed the Federal Government to extend the deadline for the spending of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 till December 31, 2023.
However, one week after, the imbroglio of the naira persists.
Osun: Oyetola, APC Go After Adeleke At Appeal Court, Alleging School Certificate Forgery
Adegboyega Oyetola, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Osun State governorship election, has approached the Court of Appeal to further seek the disqualification of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on July 17 announced Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as winner of the July 16, 2022 poll.
Former Governor Oyetola and the APC challenged the victory on the grounds that there was over-voting and that Adeleke was not eligible to run at the time.
The Tribunal said though Oyetola and APC proved a case of forgery against the Osun Governor, it was not enough to make him ineligible since he had acquired additional qualifications.
The Tribunal however held that there was indeed over-voting and it deducted the invalid votes from the valid votes and declared Oyetola as winner of that election.
Dissatisfied, INEC, Adeleke, and the PDP have appealed the judgement. The governor last week expressed confidence that he’ll defeat his predecessor.
The cross-appeal by Oyetola and the APC is being defended by Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and Akin Olujimi, SAN.
They argue that the Tribunal misdirected itself when it held that the certificate from Atlanta Metropolitan College and a diploma certificate from Penn Foster High School are genuine.
Tribunal Sacks Adeleke As Osun Governor, Declares Oyetola Winner
The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo on Friday, January 27, 2023, has sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor of the state.
The tribunal in a split document of two to one is declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and issued same to former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The majority judgement which was read by the Chairman, Justice Tertse Kume said Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against Adeleke’s 290,266.
The minority judgement is ongoing.
Source: Daily Post
