Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, has moved into the official house, Okefia Government House in Osogbo, a year and a half after entering office.
After taking office on Sunday, November 27, 2022, Adeleke decided to return to his private home in Ede, a town nearby Osogbo, rather than relocating to the Government House like his forerunners had done.
Even after facing criticism from the opposition All Progressives Congress, Adeleke continued to live in his own home and occasionally handled state business from there.
He clarified that renovations were being done at Government House.
But according to a statement released on Sunday by Olawale Rasheed, his spokesperson, Adeleke had finally moved in and the renovations were finished.
According to Rasheed, the rehabilitation effort included remodeling numerous buildings, refixing numerous abandoned facilities, finishing an abandoned multi-bedroom guest home, and renovating the main residence.
Whether or not he started the programs, Adeleke claimed his administration was dedicated to modernizing state assets during the unveiling of the refurbished Government House, which was attended by senior Osun State government officials.
He said, “I have upgraded the Government House just as I rehabilitated the Governor’s Office. We ensured the Government House was rescued from the open neglect we inherited. You can all see the upgraded facilities which now place our state in good stead in the comity of states.
“I met an abandoned guest house where top dignitaries can be hosted instead of huge bills on outside accommodation. I ordered its rehabilitation and today it is completed.
“The Presidential Lodge I met on the ground was in a terrible state. Our team fixed it.
“Our administration is passionate about upgrading state assets because they are for generations even yet unborn. We must act genuinely on the mantra that government is a continuum. Abandoning projects or state assets as Osun witnessed in the recent past is a sign of bad leadership.”
“To the good people of Osun State, your governor has moved into the Government House. I pledge to redouble our efforts at delivering on the five-point agenda. We are truly fixated on sustaining the delivery of good governance.” Adeleke said.
However, in reaction, Tajudeen Lawal, the chairman of the Osun APC, called the newly renovated Government House an inappropriate priority.
Lawal, in a statement, said, “It is a pity that while the counterparts of Governor Adeleke in other states are preoccupied with how to lessen the debilitating effects of the Federal Government removal of fuel subsidy through palliatives, the Osun State governor was busy celebrating something that cannot positively impact the people of the state.
“We want to impress it on Governor Adeleke and his co-travellers that we, just like other discerning members of the public in Osun State, are not amused by the Adeleke N1bn rehabilitated Government House which had already been rehabilitated to taste by the immediate-past Governor Gboyega Oyetola now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.”