A former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has accused the senator representing Ogun West, Olamilekan Adeola, of project diversion.
In a statement by his media aide, Lanre Akinwale, on Monday, Amosun expressed concerns that a library project facilitated by Adeola in Abeokuta had a board tagged, ‘Renovation of Ake Pavilion Roofing and other Facilities, Ogun State’, a project facilitated by the ex-governor.
As a result, Amosun said this connotes that there is a budget in the Federal Appropriation for the Ake Pavilion project, which is being diverted to an entirely different project.
9News Nigeria reports that some of his words were; “Our attention has been drawn to a Library construction project at the Ewang Estate Extension, Abeokuta, facilitated by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola.
“However, the project board erected at the site of the library project has a different inscription, tagged, ’Renovation of Ake Pavilion Roofing and other Facilities, Ogun State’.
“What this simply connotes is that there is a budget in the Federal Appropriation for the Ake Pavilion project, which is being diverted to an entirely different project. Otherwise, how could the facilitator of the library project inscribe a narration, entirely different from what he facilitated?” he asked.
The statement read further: “For the avoidance of doubt, there is only one Ake Pavilion Project, and it is located at the Ake Palace Ground, Abeokuta. The project was conceptualised and designed as a tourist attraction centre by Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the twilight of his administration as Governor in 2019. The actual construction of the multi-functional Ake Pavilion started in 2020, and the project was never part of his constituency projects when he served as Ogun Central Senator (2019-2023).
“The Ake Pavilion project, which is 95 per cent completed, contains an impressive 3,000-capacity Amphitheatre with an open performance area of about 3,000sqm, 3 Nos Banquet Halls of varying capacities ranging from 100 to 500, a museum area showcasing the history of the four quarters (sections) of Abeokuta with shops for artefacts, books, Adire, administrative blocks, and other facilities, all financed by Senator Ibikunle Amosun through his personal resources.
Setting the record straight, Amosun posited that the project in question has no connection to the ongoing construction of the Ake Pavilion project “being single-handedly funded” by him.
“While Senator Amosun welcomes the facilitation of Federal Government-funded projects to Ogun State, it is essential to ensure that such projects are done with sincerity and without misrepresenting facts. We advise Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola to provide accurate information to the people of Ogun State, especially Abeokuta, regarding the library project he facilitated to Ewang Estate Extension.”
