…..Says I Often Use My Family’s Private Jet
Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has debunked the claims that his administration has spent a whopping N3.1 billion on foreign trips and N115 million on fumigation in the first six months of 2025.
Mallam Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to the governor, disclosed this in a statement made available to Journalists in the state.
The governor explained that the N3.1 billion represents the near full-year training allocation for over 100 state government agencies, not personal travel expenses.
Adeleke emphasised that he often funds his own travel using his family’s private jet, including his current trip to the United States, reducing costs to the state. He noted that many agencies conducted local and international training in the first half of 2025 to avoid clashing with pre-2026 political activities later in the year.
“The governor is only the head of the government; there are several other sectoral heads and career officers whose expenditures on travels and training make up the state government expenditure.
“So it is incorrect to say Governor Adeleke spent so much on travelling,” Rasheed said.
The statement highlighted key international engagements, including the Commonwealth Business Investment Conference, where Adeleke signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ESG Management Services UK Ltd. to attract investments in agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals, and other sectors.
“Other trips involved ministries such as Commerce and Industry, Agriculture and Food Security, Science, Innovation and Digital Economy, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Water Resources, and the Office of Mining and Natural Resources.
Adeleke attributed the high figures to the naira’s depreciation, noting that $1,000 now costs approximately N1.6 million compared to N400,000 some years ago. “The value of naira is why the figure seems outrageous. We have compared notes with the records of the past administration, and I can confirm that this administration is well-positioned in terms of prudence and management of state resources,” he said.
The statement clarified that the N115 million was spent on cleaning and fumigation and that this covers maintenance of the state secretariat, government house, agency offices, health facilities, public schools, and other state institutions.
The government emphasised its transparency by voluntarily publishing these figures online, urging those seeking a detailed breakdown to apply under the Federal Freedom of Information Act. “There are no smoking guns. We urge those interested in a full breakdown of the state expenditure to apply for the requisite information,” Rasheed said.