Aregbesola, Oyetola trade blames on debt profile

The Media Adviser to Minister of Interior and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Mr. Sola Fasure, has said that the comments made by him to a reporter were misreported and published by media houses that never had a conversation with him.

He, therefore, described the comments attributed to him on the ongoing accusation and counter-accusation on Osun debt profile as mischievous.

A statement by Fasure, dated December 17, 2022 and made available to journalists, yesterday, reads: “I have read with dismay, comments attributed to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the ongoing accusation and counter-accusation on Osun debt profile.

“This statement is thus necessary to clarify that the minister has not made or authorised any statement on the matter. However, comments made by me to a reporter were misreported and attributed to him by media houses that never had a conversation with me.

“Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is focused on his current assignment as the Minister of Interior and will not be distracted by the ongoing bickering. The actors involved in the current imbroglio are thus advised to keep his person out of their accusations and counter-accusations.

“If and when the minister will speak, all media houses will be contacted through the usual channels, as it has always been.”

MEANWHILE, media aide to former Osun State governor, Ismail Omipidan, yesterday, described as reckless and unguarded the statement on Osun loans’ liquidation credited to Fasure.

He challenged him to produce records of the purported liquidation of the loans Aregbesola incurred when he was governor of the state.

Omipidan, who was responding to the claim by Fasure that loans Aregbesola incurred between 2013 and 2017 had been liquidated, described the claim as unfortunate, saying that it was not the first time Fasure would be dishing out lies on behalf of his principal.

He said: “Fasure should know that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a responsible agency and a discerning one at that. Therefore, they know facts from fictions. They will know who did what and when. This is where I find his call on the EFCC as not only irresponsible and unguarded but reckless.

“Fasure and his co-travellers are merely trying to exploit the raging political reality to spew lies to the public.”

“His statement has further confirmed our position that they are working in cohort with the Adeleke and the PDP. This further explains why the PDP government cleverly avoided publishing the dates the loans were procured.

“I challenge Fasure to publish details of how the loans were purportedly liquidated for the public to analyse.”

“Again, I want to reiterate that we never took any loan before or after the July 16 governorship election as being alleged by Fasure and the PDP.

“I have gone this whole hog to show that the allegations against my principal are unfounded,” Omipidan added.