Posted by Osun State’s All Progressives Congress (APC) has spoken out against Governor Ademola Adeleke and his siblings’ N1 billion donation to Lagos’s Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
The governor’s donation of such a large amount during the state’s financial crisis was criticized by the party in a statement written by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal.
In honor of the late Esther Adeleke, the matriarch of the Adeleke family and a prominent member of the church during her lifetime, Dr. Deji Adeleke announced on Sunday the donation of N1 billion to the Lagos church, as reported by Worldoh.
People in high and low positions in society have responded to the donation, with some even wondering why it was done.
Lawal believed that the governor and his siblings had done the moral thing by donating such a large sum of money for petty things.
According to Lawal, the APC is not against persons or groups supporting religious groups, but it is important that they do it in a respectful manner.
He went on to say that reasonable people in Osun State would assume that the money was taken from the state’s common treasury because of when the donation was made—while Adeleke is still the chief executive.
Lawal made the point that the people, not Adeleke, should know why the Adeleke siblings decided to give the money to their mother’s church while the governor was in office. After all, the people are the rightful owners of the state’s funds, not Adeleke.
He insisted that this new development proves that Governor Adeleke, who has more advisors than any other governor in Nigeria, is either unqualified or unwilling to take their counsel. Adeleke has more special advisers and senior special assistants than any other governor in Nigeria.
Governor Adeleke paid tribute to his mother at a Lagos church with a massive payment that came straight out of the Osun State treasury, which is notoriously tight with funds.
It is our sincere belief that morality and decency should not be compromised in the name of charity. However, we, as a party, do not oppose people, corporations, or political officials offering assistance to religious buildings.
“Although we won’t go into detail about the governor’s inconsistent public behavior, which begs the question: would Governor Adeleke spare us the embarrassment of seeing him writhe at the striking of two objects, like he did at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church during his donation spree? And let’s not forget that he has still failed to make a convincing statement on the N70,000.00 minimum wage for government workers in the state, which was approved by the federal government,” the Osun State APC chairman added.