The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially called for the immediate resignation of Governor Ademola Adeleke following explosive allegations of an annual ₦13.7 billion payroll fraud. During a press conference in Osogbo on Friday, February 20, 2026, the opposition party described the findings of a forensic audit as "mind-boggling" and a betrayal of public trust.
The controversy erupted after Sally Tibbot Consulting, a firm originally hired by the Adeleke administration to sanitise the state's workforce, released a report alleging that thousands of ghost workers and pensioners are syphoning billions from the state treasury. According to the firm’s CEO, Sa'adat Bakrin-Ottun, the audit uncovered 8,452 "unseen" workers and 5,831 ghost pensioners. Most startlingly, the report claimed a single Bank Verification Number (BVN) was linked to 962 separate monthly salaries.
APC Chairman Tajudeen Lawal, represented by Director of Media Kola Olabisi, insisted that the Governor has lost the moral authority to lead. Lawal stated that the syphoned funds could have empowered over 50,000 youths. The party has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the Governor’s inner circle.
In a swift rebuttal, the Osun State Government dismissed the allegations as "APC-sponsored fake news". Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, argued that a subsequent government verification found that over two-thirds of those flagged by the consultant were legitimate employees. Alimi accused the consulting firm of inflating figures to justify a higher commission under their "no savings, no pay" contract.
The administration further maintained that any existing payroll discrepancies were inherited from the previous Gboyega Oyetola administration. Government officials noted that Governor Adeleke himself initiated the audit to clean up inherited leakages and remains open to independent anti-corruption probes. This escalating financial scandal comes as the state prepares for the 2026 governorship election.