The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized Governor Ademola Adeleke for awarding a ₦678 million contract for the reconstruction of the Sango-Timi Shrine and Grove at Timi’s Palace in Ede, describing the project as a misplaced priority and an act of favoritism.
In a press statement signed on Thursday by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC accused the state government of including other historical sites in its tourism development plan only after a backlash followed the controversial contract award for the Ede shrine.
“Why was it that it was only after the governor’s award of the ₦678 million contract for the construction of the Sango Shrine in his hometown received wide condemnation that he thought of naming other historical tourist attraction sites across the state to be developed in phases?” the party questioned.
The APC dismissed the move as an afterthought aimed at deceiving the people of Osun State. “The ploy has refused to fly because it is a glaring insult on the sensibility of the people of this state,” the statement added.
The opposition party further argued that the shrine project offers no tangible economic benefit when compared with other pressing needs of the state.
“It is worrying that the amount allocated to this shrine project is almost double the ₦376 million released by the government as education subsidy in the first half of the year,” Olabisi said.
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The statement also highlighted concerns about the state government’s failure to fulfill promises on workers’ welfare. Of the ₦6 billion budgeted for gratuity arrears payments in 2025, the APC noted that no funds had been released by the second quarter.
According to the party, only ₦500 million, representing 11.1 percent of the ₦4.5 billion budgeted, has been disbursed for gratuity payments. Additionally, ₦998 million, or 14.3 percent of ₦7 billion, has been released for the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The APC accused Governor Adeleke of concentrating development efforts in his hometown of Ede. It pointed out that in 2025 alone, seven road projects valued at over ₦70 billion were awarded for dualisation in Ede, while projects in other towns such as Ife, Osogbo, and Ilesa remained unfinished.
The party also reminded the public of Adeleke’s earlier promise to deliver five flyovers within 12 months, noting that almost two years later, two projects had yet to begin and three others were incomplete.
The APC questioned why Ede was chosen for the first phase of cultural and tourism development if the true intention was to promote heritage and boost tourism across Osun State.
In response, on Wednesday, Governor Ademola Adeleke, through a statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, announced that he has approved the upgrade of tourism sites at Osogbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, and Ede towns.
The governor explained that the upgrades align with his administration’s agenda to expand tourism and the creative industry in preparation for UNESCO recognition.
He further disclosed that the goal is to increase tourist inflow to the various cultural sites in the state by over 60 percent within the next year.
