Osun Dismisses Advert Claiming Adeleke Constructed Failed Road

The Osun State Government has dismissed as false an advertorial alleging that a failed road project was constructed by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, insisting that the road was built under the immediate past administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary of the Osun State Ministry of Works, Bashiru Bello, described the publication as “fake news,” stating that the road featured in the advert is located at Mukoro in Ile-Ife and not in Modakeke as claimed.

According to the government, the road was constructed during Oyetola’s tenure and not by the current administration. Bello said the state had provided the road’s Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates to enable members of the public verify its exact location through Google Maps.

The controversial advert, published in a national daily, carried photographs of deteriorated roads and waste in Modakeke with a caption criticising Governor Adeleke’s administration and calling for a change in leadership.

Bello maintained that the image could not have originated from any road project being executed by the Adeleke administration, noting that ongoing projects have not reached the stage where lane markings have been applied, as shown in the published photograph.

He added that the present administration has concentrated on rehabilitating and correcting defects in projects inherited from the previous government, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of attempting to shift responsibility for defective infrastructure to the Adeleke administration.

The government urged residents to independently verify the claim, reiterating that the road in question was completed during the Oyetola administration.

The dispute comes amid heightened political tension in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with the ruling Accord Party and the opposition APC exchanging accusations over governance and security.

Recently, Governor Adeleke alleged that extrajudicial killings were taking place in the state and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene. Speaking at a campaign rally in Olorunda Local Government Area, the governor appealed to the President to ensure the protection of lives and guarantee a free, fair and credible governorship election.

He warned against any attempt to manipulate the forthcoming poll, expressing confidence that the electorate would resist electoral malpractice.