By Okeke Eunice
The debt situation in Osun State has ignited a renewed exchange between Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement on Sunday, the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, asserted that the state’s debt had decreased over the past two years due to repayments made by the current administration.
Rasheed dismissed a recent online report claiming Adeleke’s government had increased the state’s debt burden, accusing the APC of being behind the publication.
“The fact remains that Osun State’s debt profile has actually declined under Governor Ademola Adeleke’s leadership over the past two years. Data speaks for itself and cannot be concealed,” Rasheed stated.
Citing data from the Debt Management Office, Rasheed explained: “As of December 2022, Osun State’s domestic debt stood at ₦148.37 billion, but by June 2024, it had decreased to ₦86.06 billion.
Likewise, the state’s foreign debt, which was $91.78 million in December 2022, dropped to $78.17 million by June 2024.”
“This means, in numerical terms, that Governor Adeleke has repaid ₦62.31 billion in domestic debt and $13.61 million in foreign debt. This is the debt burden left by the previous APC-led administration. Had this administration not inherited these debts, these funds could have been better utilized for the benefit of Osun State’s citizens.”
In response, the APC spokesperson in the state, Kola Olabisi, rejected these claims, questioning the accuracy of the figures presented by Rasheed.
Olabisi dismissed Rasheed’s statements, calling them unreliable and suggesting they were an afterthought. “What he’s presenting to the public about the state’s debt profile cannot be trusted,” Olabisi said. “We didn’t fabricate what was published regarding the debt under Adeleke’s administration. It’s already in the public domain.
Where did Olawale get his numbers from?”
Olabisi also accused the Adeleke administration of using the APC as a scapegoat for its alleged failures. “They can’t keep blaming us for their incompetence,” he remarked.
The exchange underscores the ongoing friction between the two political groups, as they continue to clash over Osun State’s financial management and legacy.