Former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has accused the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola, aka Yayi, of project diversion.

The alleged diversion involved the Ake Pavilion Project constructed at the forecourt of the Alake of Egba Palace in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The project said to be Amosun’s self-sponsored is about 95 percent complete.

However, trouble on Monday shortly after the inauguration of a Library project at the Ewang Estate Extension, Abeokuta, facilitated by Yayi.

The project board erected at the site of the Library project has an inscription, tagged, “Renovation of Ake Pavilion Roofing and other Facilities, Ogun State.”

Miffed by the inscription, Amosun issued a statement to ‘set the record straight’ on the Ake pavilion project..

A statement from Senator Ibikunle Amosun Media Office and signed by Lanre Akinwale, said the inscription on the project board connoted that “there is a budget in the Federal Appropriation for the Ake Pavilion project, which is being diverted to an entirely different project.”

Amosun wondered why the facilitator of the Library project inscribed a narration, entirely different from what he facilitated.

“To set the record straight, the Library project in question has no connection to the ongoing construction of the Ake Pavilion project by Senator Ibikunle Amosun. The Ake Pavilion project is Senator Amosun’s gift to the entire people of Abeokuta, and it’s being single-handedly funded by him.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is only one Ake Pavilion Project, and it is located at the Ake Palace Ground, Abeokuta. The project was conceptualized and designed as a tourist attraction centre by Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the twilight of his administration as Governor in 2019. The actual construction of the multi-functional Ake Pavilion started in 2020, and the project was never part of his constituency projects when he served as Ogun Central Senator (2019-2023).

“The Ake Pavilion project, which is 95 percent completed, contains an impressive 3,000-capacity Amphitheatre with an open performance area of about 3,000sqm, 3 Nos Banquet Halls of varying capacities ranging from 100 to 500, a Museum area showcasing the history of the four quarters (sections) of Abeokuta with shops for artefacts, books, Adire, administrative blocks, and other facilities, all financed by Senator Ibikunle Amosun through his personal resources.”

Amosun said he welcomes the facilitation of Federal Government-funded projects to Ogun State, but such projects should be done with “sincerity and without misrepresenting facts.”

“We advise Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola to provide accurate information to the people of Ogun State, especially Abeokuta, regarding the Library project he facilitated to Ewang Estate Extension,” he said.

No project diversion, Yayi replies Amosun

In a statement by his Media Adviser, Kayode Odunaro, Yayi denied allegations of project diversion.

He said “For the records, there is no case of diversion of project as insinuated based on the inscription on the signpost at the completed Library project. As stated in the statement of Senator Amosun, the inscription on the project is “Renovation of Ake Pavilion Roofing and Other Facilities, Ogun State”. For those not conversant with budgetary terminologies the wordings “and other facilities, Ogun State” shows that the project was NOT confined to Ake Pavilion alone.

“Indeed, it could include construction of roads, school, library etc in Ogun state as determined by the implementing agency and facilitator of the project in the budget based on availability of funds.

“There was indeed, a budget inclusion for the renovation of Ake Pavilion following appeals to Senator Adeola from well meaning sons and daughters of Egbaland to complete the project that was seemingly abandoned for a period. What was not made known to Senator Adeola at the point of appeals was the fact that this was a personal project of Senator Amosun and his pledge to complete it in due course using his resources.

“On realization of the involvement of Senator Amosun and the budget having been passed as stated in the project title, Senator Adeola shied away from taking any glory from Senator Amosun good gesture to his community and in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development decided on the construction of a Library in Ewang Estate Extension with the available funds released for the project.

“Finally, there is nothing untoward in the inscription at the Library as that is what is contained in the ministry’s budget that was used to fund the project. It would have been otherwise if the signpost was placed at the Ake Pavilion under construction by Senator Amosun.

“There is no need for wiping up controversy on what is meant for educational development of Ogun State as Senator Adeola has facilitated similar projects at Ijebu Ode and elsewhere in Ogun state.”