Since Rauf Aregbesola was appointed interim national secretary of the newly launched African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja, a coalition aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027, numerous claims regarding his past leadership have surfaced online.
Mr Aregbesola, once a close ally of Mr Tinubu, and other ADC members have highlighted several perceived shortcomings under the current All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
They are campaigning on a promise of superior governance should Nigerians elect the ADC in the upcoming general election.
READ ALSO: Coalition: Ex-ADC national chair steps down, hands over party leadership to Mark, Aregbesola
As this newly formed party continues to advocate for its agenda, loyalists of the APC are actively exposing the alleged failures of many of these coalition leaders, including prominent figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai.
These critiques focus on their performance during their tenures as governors or in other significant leadership roles.
Amidst the growing scrutiny of these new coalition leaders, who campaign under the slogan of ‘Rescue Nigeria’, Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan and a staunch supporter of President Tinubu, has publicised alleged failures of Mr Aregbesola during his time as governor of Osun State and as Minister of Interior under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Claims
On 5 July, Mr Omokri on his X page claimed Mr Aregbesola as a governor paid Osun civil servants half salary and earned the nickname, “Baba Halfusa”.
He tweeted, “Someone who was paying Osun civil servants half salary, which earned him the nickname, Baba Halfusa, and still owed even that, is now accusing President Tinubu, who pays Federal workers the new minimum wage, and doesn’t owe them, of inflicting suffering on the masses? Thank God for ADC, that Nigerians have short memories.”
As of 7 July, Mr Omokri post has been viewed by 157 thousand X users, reposted by 374 and liked by 1,208 users.
Did Aregbesola pay half salaries?
Mr Aregbesola was first elected as governor of Osun State in 2010 and later secured a second term. His administration came to an end in 2018.
In a report published by The Punch on 1 May 2016, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State condemned Mr Aregbesola’s decision to pay civil servants half salaries, a practice that reportedly began in July 2015.
Yusuf Gambi, who at the time led a faction of the NLC in the state, described the development as deeply regrettable.
He lamented that it was always the workers who bore the brunt whenever the government faced financial difficulties.
Gambi further criticised the administration for prioritising capital projects while employees continued to suffer, stressing that the half salaries, in addition to being insufficient, were also paid inconsistently.
In 2017, Mr Aregbesola, through his then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa, acknowledged the half-salary payments to civil servants.
According to a Premium Times report published on 29 October 2017, Mr Aregbesola expressed his displeasure over the situation while addressing the federal government’s digital switchover team during their courtesy visit to his office.
He stated that no sensible government or leader would take pride in failing to meet its obligations.
He attributed the financial crisis that led to the salary cuts to the administration of former President Jonathan and the then-ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “Economic downturn induced by brazen corruption, wanton theft of crude oil and mismanagement of the country’s resources by the last administration forced the state to what it was witnessing today.’’
He, however, clarified that not all employees were affected by the half salary payment, stating that, “Workers on levels 1-7, being the most vulnerable and the largest chunk of the workforce are being paid full salary. Workers on levels 8-10 receive 75 per cent of their salary, while levels 12 upward collect 50 per cent of their salary.
“The workers have shown maturity, support and understanding. We acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices and support of the workers.”
Backlog of half-salary arrears
Adegboyega Oyetola took over from Mr Aregbesola as governor in 2018 and served until 2022, when Ademola Adeleke assumed office.
In July 2023, Channels Television reported that Mr Adeleke approved the disbursement of payments to clear the backlog of half-salary arrears accumulated during Mr Aregbesola’s administration.
The initiative was part of Mr Adeleke’s broader effort to fulfil his 2022 campaign pledge to address salary debts and provide financial relief to Osun’s workforce.
He has since been paying the outstanding half-salaries and pensions in phases, having inherited approximately ₦26 billion in unpaid salaries and around ₦50 billion in pension liabilities from his predecessors.
By December 2024, Mr Adeleke announced that within his two years in office, his government repaid ₦62.31 billion in domestic debt and reduced the state’s foreign debt by $13.61 million.
According to him, Osun’s domestic debt, which stood at ₦148.37 billion when he took office in December 2022, had been reduced to ₦86.06 billion by June 2024. Similarly, the state’s foreign debt decreased from $91.78 million to $78.17 million over the same period.
Conclusion
Available records and public reports show that Mr Aregbesola paid half salaries during his time as governor of Osun State and left office without settling all the salaries owed to state workers during his second term, citing national economic challenges.
