Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke ,has rejected calls by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state for the resignation of his Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye.
Governor Adeleke described the demand as a melancholic tantrum.
In a statement issued in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Saturday, Governor Adeleke said the opposition party was expressing frustration over its declining political fortunes.
The APC had on Friday called for Akinleye’s resignation over alleged links to a reported N13.7 billion payroll fraud controversy prompting the government’s response.
Rasheed said the opposition was “largely overwhelmed and in political depression. Hon Akinleye is an efficient Chief of Staff to a multiple award-winning governor of Osun State
“The CoS’s competence and capacity for the job is validated by the impressive performance of the current administration, which is acknowledged at home and abroad.”
He added that as head of staff in the Governor’s Office, Akinleye had demonstrated “acute mastery of governance processes and served as a consensus builder committed to due process.
“Just like the governor, the Chief of Staff is widely acknowledged as a man of vision who resists any ploy to derail the delivery of good governance in Osun State.”
Rasheed said Akinleye had acted as a “strong gatekeeper ensuring that the state was not defrauded in dealings involving Sally Tibbot. The governor remained proud of his contributions.
“No amount of blackmail will dent the reputation of integrity and service the CoS has built over the years.”
The spokesperson also claimed that Governor Adeleke currently enjoyed an approval rating of over 80 per cent, contrasting it with a disapproval rate of more than 85 per cent for the APC in the state.
“The tantrums from Osun APC are understandable. Where the opposition failed, the governor succeeded bountifully,” Rasheed said.
He alleged that the party faced electoral consequences over its past governance record and handling of local government funds.
