Amosun Accuses Lawmaker Of Project Diversion, Demands Answers

A former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, has accused the senator representing Ogun West, Olamilekan Adeola, of project diversion.

Amosun revealed 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.

He argued that this indicates that there is a budget in the Federal Appropriation for the Ake Pavilion project, which is being diverted to an entirely different project.

Speaking via a statement by his media aide, Lanre Akinwale, on Monday, 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.

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The statement reads, “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?”

Speaking further, he said,  “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.

“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.”

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However, in a swift reaction, the Ogun West senator denied the allegation of project diversion.

Adeola’s spokesman, Kayode Odunaro, said, “There is no case of diversion of the project as insinuated based on the inscription on the signpost at the completed library project.”

He explained, “As stated in the statement of Senator Amosun, the inscription on the project is ‘Renovation of Ake Pavilion Roofing and Other Facilities, Ogun State. ’ For those not conversant with budgetary terminologies, the wordings ‘and other facilities, Ogun State’, shows that the project was not confined to Ake Pavilion alone. Indeed, it could include construction of roads, schools, library, etc in Ogun State as determined by the implementing agency and facilitator of the project in the budget based on the availability of funds.”

Odunaro conceded that there was a budget for the renovation of Ake Pavilion, which is still under construction.