Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has denied the allegation that he diverted public funds to construct a multipurpose centre for his wife, Omolola, in Osogbo, during his tenure.
Speaking during the defection of some Action Congress of Nigeria members to the Peoples Democratic Party in Osogbo, on Friday, Oyinlola said the centre was built with funds from personal donations of his friends and associates.
Explaining that the centre, Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation, is a registered non-governmental organisation, Oyinlola said he never diverted public funds to build the centre.
Oyinlola said, "WOCDIF is an NGO registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission. The money used in building it came from personal donations from friends and associates, who bought into the idea of the foundation.
"The donation was done in the open and the records are there to show the true position of things."
But the state Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr. Ajibola Basiru, said the resources were diverted by Oyinlola to build the centre.
Basiru, who spoke at a news conference in Osogbo, said, "The Oyinlola administration used the structure of the state to cajole people to come and donate.
"Fifty million naira belonging to Osun was donated to the foundation by Oyinlola.
"They removed N300m of the funds belonging to the 30 local government councils and the Area Office in Modekeke and donated it to the foundation. There was no fund allocation committee put in place for the project. WOCDIF remains a personal project.
"What the Oyinlola administration did was not honourable. We are going to reclaim Osun funds. We have the records of the donations as documented by officials during Oyinlola's administration."
The WOCDIF centre, which sits on a wide expanse of land, is located along West-Bypass, Osogbo.
During Oyinlola's tenure, state functions were held in its auditorium. Nowadays, it is hired by members of the public and institutions for ceremonies.
