The embattled chairman of the main position party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Osun State, Hon. Adesoji Adagunodo has cleared air over allegation leveled against him that hundreds of millions from the cover of the party missed under his leadership.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Adagunodo and obtained by *THESOURCE* in Osogbo, Osun state capital, said the organized press conference by the state Acting Chairman of PDP, Elder Sunday Akanfe Atidade on Thursday was “a shame and extreme lust for power.”
He condemned miss placement of priority at the apex level of the party said “It is funny that Mr Sunday Akanfe Atidade who is supposed to be above the board cannot get himself to realise the basic principles of life, that when you persecute people you always rouse them to be strong and stronger.”
Part of the press release reads “PDP faithful and the general public will recall that the State Youth Leader, Mr. Seyi Bamidele, in a statement signed on behalf of the Party, which in itself was bizarre, had clearly said, “the State Chairman, Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo was yet to be found guilty of anything” and barely 24 hours later, the Acting Chairman of the same Executive Committee to which Seyi Bamidele belongs, and on whose behalf he had issued the statement, claimed that a hired auditor had confirmed hundreds of millions missing, “though no specific figures were given.”
“One wonders at what quality of auditor, worth his salt, would not be specific about quoted figures. Besides, is it possible that the said auditor was hired and completed his hatchet assignment, if he did any at all, within 24 hours and as such could not provide exact figures? Whatever the case maybe, why were the figures not stated anywhere in the body of the Press Conference addressed by Mr Sunday Akanfe Atidade?
“Meanwhile, contrary to the lies and claims that a report has been sent to me, I wish to state categorically that nobody has contacted me till this moment neither was any report sent to me. I only read about the audit in the news feed.
“If the claims actually exist, best practice procedures, if it was not designed to achieve predetermined mudslinging and smearing goals, would involve primary and secondary books of accounting.
“These books should be in the custody of officers constitutionally empowered to keep them. In addition, best practice procedures also demand that the Auditor seeks explanations at least from me, if he finds it too tedious to do a thorough job, before coming up with the indicting resolutions noted by Mr Atidade.
“In all, the Acting Chairman needs not be told that the Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and Internal Auditor of the party are still members of the SWC. I am fairly certain that they should have cooperated with the External Auditor, if he exists outside the imagination of the conjurers. Everyone behind this ridiculous turn of events is by this statement reminded that different officers are saddled with the responsibilities of keeping financial records.
“It will also be interesting to know which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Investigation by the NWC or SWC?.
“This desperation and drives to tear the party apart to please an individual on a self-righteous vengeance and vendetta mission does not smell right. Did this auditing begin before the step-aside order or after the step-aside order? .
“Knowing full well that the basis of my being ordered to step aside are outright lies, some people are seriously looking for a means to cover up their dastardly acts. I know what to do but if I respond appropriately, the credibility of our great party may suffer severe damage. I have decided to wait and let them expose themselves to the whole world to know who actually is hell-bent on ruining our party in Osun.
“It is interesting that, at this juncture, the whole of the State Working Committee feigns ignorance of all the expenses of the party that we executed between the 25th March, 2018, when we were inaugurated, and October 6th 2018.
“This was the period fund was raised and expenditures incurred. Let me state unequivocally that between then and when I was told to step aside on April 30 2020, I was the major financier of the Party” he said.
