A pro-democracy group based in Osun State, the Political Watch has admonished the Adeleke’s family and the present administration in the State not to allow themselves to be lured into the politics of hatred, bitterness, witch-hunting and vendetta being played in Ila-Orangun, headquarters of Ila Local Government Area of Osun State.
The group observes that the current travails of the Provost of the Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Prof. Jimoh Atanda Afolabi who is an indigene of the town was not unconnected with the political rivalry in Ila-Orangun between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the town.
The pro-democracy group stressed the need for Governor Ademola Adeleke and the leadership of the PDP in the state not to allow the interest of few individuals in his government, who are indigenes of Ila-Orangun to override the collective interest of majority of the people and the town at large.
It was alleged that the Provost of the College, Prof Afolabi is being witch-hunted because he was appointed by the immediate past APC administration in the state, and some PDP members are already working round the clock to ensure Afolabi’s removal in order to score political point in Ila-Orangun.
Recent happenings, it was gathered are being made possible as a result of collaboration between the chairman of the governing council of the college, Mr Peter Babalola and a few elements from Ila-Orangun who are serving in the Adeleke’s government.
It was reliably gathered that Peter Babalola popularly called Peter Power is allegedly having internal wrangling with the Provost of the College for his refusal to join him in perpetrating fraud by doling out money from the coffers of the college to him illegally.
Babalola has since his appointment been usurping the powers of the Provost by taking over the running of the day to day activities of the college as against the extant rules of the institution which permit him to hold meetings four times in a year.
The group considers it inappropriate for a secondary school holder to accuse a Professor of incompetence, saying that “we are yet to know whether gentility and humility could be taken for incompetence in his own dictionary.”
“It is unheard of the chairman of the governing council to be moving around lecture halls embarrassing both lecturers and students during examination exercise,” the group lamented.
The group added that “our interaction with some staff of the institution shows how this character has been belittling the respected and cherished government of Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke.”
“Our recent visit to Ila-Orangun revealed that Babalola’s actions may cause disaffection between the indigenes of the town and the state government for his resolve to eliminate all indigenes of Ila-Orangun particularly those appointed by the immediate past government, as well as the Directors who are indigenes of Ila-Orangun working in the College of Education.
“It is on good record without bias and sentiment that Peter Babalola two weeks ago, without recourse to Provost and academic board removed the Chairman of the accreditation committee who is an indigene of Ila-Orangun and a Prince for that matter and unilaterally made himself the chairman of the committee which the accreditors saw as an aberration in an academic environment.”
“It was also discovered that Peter Babalola single handedly considered and approved the budget expenses for the forthcoming accreditation exercise without recourse to Mr Provost and his management, claiming that he has been empowered by the State House of Assembly, a claim discovered to be a lie and an attempt to run the Osun State House of Assembly down in the face of the staff of the College.
“We have also gathered that Peter Babalola has been instigating the present acting Bursar to write frivolous, unfounded and baseless petitions against the immediate past Bursar of the College, who is also an indigene of Ila-Orangun and appointed by the APC government. We discovered that during his tenure, he vehemently stood against Babalola’s intention of syphoning the college’s funds.
“This is clearly shown in the recent committee illegally constituted by the acting Bursar without recourse to the management, aimed at witch-
hunting the staff believed to be loyal to the immediate past Bursar of the College, with the purpose of carrying out Babalola’s intention of vindictiveness against the immediate past Bursar of the college.
“it is on this note that we are calling and appealing to the government of Senator Ademola Adeleke who is loved by the people not to allow people who are playing politics of bitterness and incompetence of the Chairman, governing council not to tarnish the good name and reputation of the current government. We know Governor Adeleke as a large hearted man who is loved by the people of Osun State and we advise him not to allow Ila-Orangun politics and this political harlot called Peter Babalola who served in the APC government to discredit the present credible administration,” the group added.
