On Sunday, Governor Ademola Adeleke gave Mr. Oyetola, his wife, Kafayat Oyetola, and some officials in his administration the deadline of 48 hours to return the vehicles or face criminal charges.
Mr. Oyetola's wife stated that she used her personal vehicle as the state's First Lady and did not remove any government vehicles prior to Mr. Ademola issuing the warning.
Mr. Oyetola, on the other hand, defended his former officials by claiming that he gave them the vehicles as a token of appreciation for their service to the state.
In addition, the state's All Progressives Congress (APC) stated that the former governor and his staff are entitled to maintain the vehicles in accordance with state regulations.
However, on Tuesday, a high-ranking state official at the Bureau of General Service told our reporter that some of the officials had returned the government vehicles they had in their possession. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements on behalf of the organization.
A few of the former commissioners, according to the anonymous source, are included.
The source, "The commissioners are silently returning the vehicles; I think it must have been due to the 48 hours the governor gave them."
The source, a Toyota Hilux van was returned by one of the commissioners on Monday.
“I was informed that one of the commissioners returned a Toyota Hilux yesterday. The person said he will return the official vehicle today. He said he was not aware that no law gives them the permission to take the vehicles home,” The source added.
“Another former commissioner also called and promised to return the vehicle. The thing is that they are secretly returning the vehicles.”
While speaking with Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, corroborated the development.
“It is true that the people are secretly returning the vehicles because they are now aware that there is no legal basis for them going away with government vehicles, it is like engaging in criminal conduct,” the governor’s spokesperson said.
He noted that any of the public office holders who refused to return the government vehicle by Wednesday would face prosecution.
“They are still within the time we gave them. Anybody that fails to return his or her own vehicle after tomorrow will be liable to prosecution,” he noted.
The governor’s spokesperson explained that the implication of not returning the vehicles is that the state government will need to purchase new vehicles which he said will cost N3.2 billion.
“People should not think that we are witch-hunting. We are telling them to return the vehicles because we do not want to spend extravagantly when the state is still lacking development, we are still even struggling to pay salary, even if we want to spend on vehicles, it should not be too much,” he said.
“The challenge is that the state government will spend almost N3.2 billion to purchase new vehicles for all the government parastatals. We are not witch-hunting anybody, many people do not know the implications.”
State pension law
The extant law of the state on pension, severance package and other fringe benefits for public office holders does not indicate that a public office holder can go home with government property.
The “State of Osun Public Office Holders (Payment of Pension and Severance Package)” was signed into law by former Governor Oyetola on 3 June, 2019.
Section 2 subsection 1(ii) of the law states that:
“A duly elected or appointed public office holder shall upon the successful completion of his term:
(a) In the case of Governor, the Deputy Governor and Members of the House of Assembly be entitled to a severance gratuity, and
(b) In the case of members of the cabinet and members of statutory bodies be entitled to a one-off severance package.
Provided that such person had not been impeached or removed from office for breach of any provision of the constitution.
(2) The sum payable as pension and or severance package under the provisions of this law shall be charged upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the state.
(3) The total emolument of public office holders shall include salary, allowances and fringe benefits as contained in the schedule to this law.
(4) Subject to the provisions of section 124 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the pension and severance package mentioned in this law shall be payable at the expiration of the tenure of the holder of the office.
(5) Where the public office holder vacates office before the expiration of the term of his office for reasons other than impeachment or breach or any provision of the constitution, he shall be paid pension and or severance on a pro-rata basis for the number of years he held such office.
(6) Where a public office holder dies in office before the expiration of his tenure, his family or beneficiaries shall be paid death benefits on a pro-rata basis.”
