Asset Recovery: Adeleke Frees Oyetola’s Cabinet Members, Faces Other Fmr. Appointees

THE Asset Recovery Committee, set up by Governor Ademola Adeleke, has said the approval granted by former governor Adegboyega Oyetola allowing members of his cabinet to go home with their official vehicles was in order. 

Consequently, the committee will not recover the vehicles in the possession of the former commissioners and Special Advisers. 

But the committee declared the letter of permission written by the immediate past Head of Service, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade, directing political appointees under the administration of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola to go home with the official vehicles allocated to them as “illegal.”

The government vowed to recover all government assets, including vehicles that are hitherto in the possession of the political appointees of the immediate past administration, saying they have been illegally carted away.

According to the Chairman of the Committee who is also Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Mr Kehinde Adeoye, only the governor of the state has the power to allow the appointees to go home with official vehicles. 

The statement reads: “That the Executive Governor had the prerogative power to allow any political appointee go home with his/her official vehicle, having served for at least a period of two (2) years and payment of some amount of money into the coffers of the government, and if the vehicle was less than four (4) years old, the appointee would pay 10% of the residual value of such official vehicle; 

“That the approval granted by the immediate past Executive Governor for the release and eventual ownership of the official vehicles (kia cars) allocated to members of the immediate past Osun State Executive Council followed due process; and 

“That the letter of permission written by the immediate past Head of Service, directing political appointees of the immediate past administration to go home with the official vehicles allocated to them was, however, illegal.

“Consequently, all government assets/ vehicles that are hitherto in the possession of the political appointees of the immediate past administration, which are not captured in the express provisions of the paragraphs ii and iii above, are deemed to have been illegally carted away, and such must be returned to the Osun State Government immediately.” 

Igbalaye said the committee is not out to witch hunt the past administration, assuring the people of the state that the committee would adhere strictly to the rule of law while carrying out its mandate. 

“It was imperative for the committee to go through due process after the inauguration.

“Government properties like vehicles, buildings which were illegally possessed must be returned to the Osun state Government immediately”, he stated.