Aregbesola warned against funding Edo, Ondo elections

– The Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun state (CSCEOS) accused Aregbesola of planning to fund the governorship election in Edo and Ondo states

– The group called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on the state government

– Suleiman alleged that Aregbesola’s past reckless spending caused the financial crisis that has been ravaging the Osun state since 2014

The Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun state (CSCEOS) has warned the Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola  against using the lean resources of the state to fund the forthcoming gubernatorial  elections in Edo and Ondo states.

Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola is alleged of plotting to fund Edo and Ondo elections
The group noted that it has been “the habitual character of Aregbesola to illegally spend state resources on frivolous elections of his party in other states of the federation since he came into power in November 2010 after the ruling of Justice Clara Ogunbiyi -led appeal court in Ibadan.”

CSCEOS recalled  that billions of naira had been spent to sponsor elections in Ondo, Kogi, Anambra and other states during the 2015 presidential election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

It particularly single out the October 20, 2012 Ondo state governorship election where billions of naira was allegedly spent on the candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu(SAN).


It further disclosed that the 2012 Ondo governorship election project committee was led by Aregbesola’s former commissioner for special duties and regional integration, Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru Adebayo, and that a major part of the huge fund was allegedly siphoned by Ajibola Bashiru and his co-travellers.

The group called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on the state government.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently fixed September 10 and November 26, 2016 for the conduct of governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states respectively.

Aregbesola, Governor Solomon Lalung and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto on Wednesday, June 1 met with the Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomole, allegedly to mobilise support for the APC.

Chairman of the rights group, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, alleged that certain billions of naira meant for local government councils were diverted by the state government and set aside for sponsorship of the governorship elections in the two states in support the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The rights activist stated that information at his disposal reveals that Aregbesola had concluded arrangement to commit billions of naira to the forthcoming governorship elections in the two states in favour of APC.

Suleiman alleged that Aregbesola’s past reckless spending caused the financial crisis that has been ravaging the state since 2014.

“We want anti-graft agencies of the federal government to monitor the activities of the state government and its officials before, during and after the conduct of the 2016 governorship.

“Our investigations reveal that the recent meeting led by Aregbesola with the Edo state governor on the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states is part of the strategy to be used to ensure that a new account be created for the pool of the funds that will beRauf Aregbesola used for the said elections,” Suleiman alleged.