Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, while sharing a Punch News report on Facebook about his plan to sue APC chieftains, described them as “bastards.”
Recall that Osun APC chieftains accused Alimi of misappropriating ₦3.7 billion while serving as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
In the post on his official social media page, Alimi wrote: “Kolapo Alimi, Sue the bastards. @Jamiu Babatunde Olawumi , be educated that, “BASTARD” in that context in legal parlance means ” AN OFFENSIVE AND DISAGREEABLE PERSON ” .
Adeleke, an APC chieftain, alleged that questionable withdrawals were made from the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) account during Alimi’s tenure. He demanded that Alimi provide evidence of how the funds were utilized, questioning why there were no records of projects executed with the money.
Punch had reported that Alimi who was a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy under Aregbesola’s APC-led administration before recalling to join the PDP, said he would drag his successor in office, Mr Adebayo Adeleke, before the court for falsely alleging he misappropriated funds.
Adeleke, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, had said two officials of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria made questionable withdrawals from the association account when Alimi was serving as the Commissioner for Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state.
Reacting in a statement, Alimi, who denied any involvement in financial misconduct, challenged Adeleke to answer invitations from anti-graft agencies over allegations against him.
“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have again dignified the already jittery and embattled Prince Adebayo Adeleke (a k.a Banik) and his likes, with a response of this nature as a result of yet another spurious and unverified allegations he raised against me as currently being circulated in the social media, today, Thursday, 14th March 2025.
“However, for the benefit of innocent members of the public who might be misled, the need to counter him for all the baseless allegations raised against me can not be overemphasized.
“To this end, I am using this opportunity to state that Prince Adebayo Adeleke is presently a drowning man who will use any available opportunity to catch a straw as a result of the many weighty allegations against him which are in the public domain.
“In order words, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, having been exposed to the series of allegations raised against him in the form of grafts, is currently so desperate to try anything, no matter how improbable, in order to mislead the public on the series of financial allegations levelled against him while holding forth as the Commissioner for Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs in the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
“For the umpteenth time, I, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, is using this opportunity to tell him and others in his sinking ship that my decision to take him to a competent court of law for blackmailing me is not a threat as any moment from now, he will hear from my team of lawyers who are already working round the clock in that regard.
“Lest I forget to state that, I advise Mr Banik to also stop using ALGON as a smokescreen to attack and malign my person and integrity while I held forth as the Commissioner for Local Govt and Chieftaincy Matters.
“Should Banik have any concrete evidence/proof that I was involved in any fraud or other allegations of financial impropriety, as I had earlier challenged him and made known to the public, he should feel free to approach the anti-graft agencies, instead of him engaging in this ongoing needless and fruitless grandstanding in order impugn on my person and reputation,” Alimi said.
Responding, Adeleke urged Alimi to provide a detailed account of how a substantial amount disappeared from the ALGON account under his supervision.
Adeleke said as the Commissioner in charge of Ministry of Local Government, Alimi was responsible for monitoring and overseeing the utilization of funds, despite not being the signatory to the account.
The ex-commissioner’s statement further read, “My attention has been drawn to a statement attributed to Barr. Kolapo Alimi, the Osun State Commissioner for Information, threatened to sue me over allegations of misappropriating 3.7 billion naira during his tenure as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in 2017.
“As Commissioner, he was responsible for monitoring and overseeing the utilization of funds despite not being the signatory to the account. Records show that there is no evidence of how the 3.7 billion naira was utilized, nor are there any records of projects executed with these funds. As his successor in the same ministry, I ensured that all projects and financial transactions were properly documented, approved, and certified by the Auditor General for Local Government.
“I urge Barr. Alimi to provide evidence of his stewardship as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in 2017 and 2018, as I have done in a compiled publication certified by the Auditor General for Local Government.
“This will allow the public to judge the matter fairly. It is unacceptable for Barr. Alimi threatened me with a lawsuit while failing to address the serious allegations of misappropriation under his watch. His actions are shameful and unbecoming of a public servant.
“I want him to know that there are more coming for him and should be ready to go to court many times. I asked Barr. Kolapo Alimi, the following questions:
- Will the money go to the ALGON Account from JACC without the approval of either the JACC meeting or the Governor? 2. Was there no memo from your office as a commissioner to the Governor for approval of such joint projects by ALGON ? 3. Are you not supposed to know the project ALGON wanted to do before you transferred money to her Account?
“4. Are you not responsible for monitoring such projects to make sure it was well executed? 5. I have explained, with proof to the whole world, what ALGON, under me, used the money you alleged they misappropriated or stole with approvals and pictorial evidence. Can you please come out to do the same instead of lying and crying around?”
Leave a Reply