By Robert Noah
Some aides of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, have been locked in serious fight over the sharing of about N2.1 billion budgetted for the lavish celebration of his 2nd anniversary in office.
The 16-event planned for the celebration have so far been haphazardly organised, with many of the events hurriedly cancelled or postponed due to various reasons.
For instance, all activities listed for the final week of the celebration were hurriedly shifted till the end of the year, due to lack of coordination between the organising committee and the office of the governor.
Even though the events have been moved forward or outrightly cancelled, sharing of funds already made available for logistics, decoration, publicity and feeding have turned many top officials of the Adeleke administration to sworn enemies.
Sources in the know of the issues, who confided in our correspondent, but pleaded to remain anonymous, said amount budgetted for publicity alone was in excess of N400million.
He added that for feeding, security and transportation during the 16-day celebrations, over N1.5billion was set aside, but “after some of the events floundered with some of them cancelled, attention of top officials of Adeleke administration has been shifted to how to share over N2.1 billion already earmarked for the events, including those that may not hold again.
“For instance, the turning of sod for the proposed Osun State Airport at Akoda, Ede would no longer hold, after Federal Government ordered suspension of further action on the project.
“But fund already earmarked for it is being targeted by these officials, hiding behind one finger that vendors have been paid for some services already.
“Not only that, event for Monday, December 16, was cancelled, yet some officials said vendors have been paid and that those paid would not refund the money as they already expended it on planning.
“Based on the facts available to me, funds available for sharing by those involved in the planning of the 2nd anniversary events is about N2.1 billion and they are fighting to death over the sharing formula.
“Adeleke could not be said to unaware of the development but he is allowing these men to have field day. Some of them may start fighting in the public any moment because tension has kept increasing in their ranks in the last few days.”