Osun 2026: APM candidate faults Adeleke over alleged N13.7bn ghost worker fraud
The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement for the 2026 Osun State election, Adewale Adebayo, has criticised the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke over the alleged N13.7 billion ghost
The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement for the 2026 Osun State election, Adewale Adebayo, has criticised the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke over the alleged N13.7 billion ghost worker fraud uncovered in the state civil service.
Adebayo said the development amounts to a vote of no confidence passed by the governor on his own administration.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the APM candidate said that Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, Chief Executive Officer of Sally Tibbot Limited, disclosed the discovery of thousands of ghost workers on the state payroll following a verification exercise commissioned by the government. This disclosure, he stated, exposes a failure of governance and accountability.
According to him, the situation is further worsened by what he alleged are attempts by the government to shield those responsible for the fraud.
He said it was troubling that, rather than act decisively on the findings, the government was allegedly defending the discovery.
He noted that the Governor's Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye, had reportedly threatened the consultant who demanded the implementation of her report.
“If the Adeleke-led government indeed discovered that the state had been paying over N13.7 billion annually to non-existent workers and that payments meant for thousands of staff were allegedly diverted to a single individual, it raises fundamental questions about how such a massive financial leak could persist under the watch of the current government without decisive action,” Adebayo said.
He added that the revelation suggests the administration has been presiding over a compromised payroll system, stressing that merely disclosing the findings without transparent prosecution and recovery of the alleged funds could amount to politicising a serious financial crime against the people of Osun State.
Adebayo therefore challenged the state government to make public the full details of the consultant’s audit report, as well as any counter-position from the government to clarify all issues surrounding the alleged fraud.
He also urged the administration to ensure that appropriate legal action is taken to recover funds allegedly siphoned through the ghost worker scheme.
The APM candidate maintained that the development highlights the need for a new leadership direction in the state, noting that if elected, his administration would introduce a transparent digital payroll system and institutional reforms aimed at eliminating corruption, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that public funds are used strictly for the welfare of legitimate workers and the development of the state.
He assured residents that the party remains committed to restoring integrity, transparency, and responsible governance ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.