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OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has described former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, as a serial liar for denying the fact that he refunded N500million looted money into the state government’s coffer.
Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli, the governor insisted that Ladoja indeed returned the said amount, as well as vehicles he procured from the sleaze, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ladoja, the Accord Party’s candidate in Oyo State in the February 28 governorship election, had through an advertorial in one of the national newspapers on Tuesday denied allegations that he refunded N500million allegedly stolen from the state’s treasury.
Earlier, Governor Ajimobi had in an interview published in a national newspaper accused Ladoja and some of his former aides and close relatives of fleecing the state during his tenure as governor, following which the EFCC was said to have quizzed him.
To wriggle out of the mess, the Accord Party’s governorship candidate was alleged to have then entered into plea bargaining with the EFCC, which informed the refund of N500million and some exotic vehicles.
“Ladoja’s shameless denial of his refund of Oyo State’s stolen funds is not only regrettable, but lamentable. His brazen denial in the face of overwhelming evidence reflects what led to the lack of trust from the leadership of this country.
“The general public will recall that in 2008, Ladoja was embroiled in allegation of theft of proceeds from shares belonging to the state government, which he converted to personal use. He was subsequently arrested and detained by the EFCC.
Governor Ajimobi revealed that indeed, Senator Ladoja returned the sum of N500 million to the EFCC which thereafter drew a cheque later collected by the state government.
“Government thus immediately opened an account to cater for this repatriated Ladoja loot tagged `Oyo State Government repatriated fund Account No. 5030048128 with Fidelity Bank, Jimoh Odutola Road, Ibadan.
“In its quest to use the refunded money to develop the state, the sum of N449,070,155.89 was thus paid to the contractor handling the construction of model schools in all the zones of the state,” said the governor.
