Governor Adeleke’s travel spending report triggers backlash as Osun State defends budget allocations, clarifying travel costs and transparency measures
Governor Adeleke’s travel spending is under the spotlight after a recent media report alleged that the Osun State government spent ₦3.1 billion on local and international travel in just six months.
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The report, which surfaced on an unnamed news platform, was dismissed as misleading and politically motivated by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
In a strong rebuttal issued Monday, Rasheed clarified that the ₦3.1 billion figure was not for travel alone but represents the full-year allocation for training, capacity building, and official engagements for over 100 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in Osun State.
He emphasized that Governor Adeleke’s personally uses his family’s private jet, significantly reducing the state’s financial burden.
“The quoted amount is not exclusive to the Governor,” Rasheed stated.
“These expenses cover service-wide training, travel for key conferences, and maintenance across government agencies.”
The governor’s team also pointed out that the financial information cited was extracted from the state’s own budget transparency platform—proof, they say, of a commitment to open governance.
Defending the need for overseas trips, Rasheed highlighted Adeleke’s recent participation in the Commonwealth Business Investment Conference, where Osun signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ESG Management Services UK Ltd. to attract international investment into agriculture, solid minerals, and manufacturing.
He further noted that many MDAs accelerated their training programs ahead of the politically charged second half of 2025.
“There’s no ‘smoking gun’ here. It’s just good governance under scrutiny,” Rasheed added.
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The administration insists that Governor Adeleke’s travel spending has been mischaracterized and urges the public to seek full details through the Freedom of Information Act rather than rely on opposition-sponsored misinformation.
