The Oyo Anti-Corruption Group (OACG) yesterday dared the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi over the N1 billion libel suit slammed against it by the governor.

The governor had in a statement by his spokesman, Festus Adedayo, announced the institution of the litigation over an alleged defamation by the group in a newspaper publication on Wednesday.

The publication detailed a petition filed with the two anti-graft agencies- the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) in which the group, led by Lanre Ogundipe, an aide to former governor of the state and Accord Party (AP) leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, called for a probe of the contract awards involving the recently inaugurated N3 billion Mokola flyover and the almost half a billion naira “Restoration bridge” both in Ibadan, the state capital.

The group had accused the regime of inflating the contracts.

A defiant Ogundipe, in a statement released in Ibadan yesterday said the group stood by its observations and was prepared to meet the governor in court in its campaign for probity and transparency in governance.

“No one should be under any illusion that the said publication was a ruse. The group is committed to exposing the dirty deals of an insincere government that lacks probity and accountability in administering the resources of the state prudently,” he said, adding that it would not be browbeaten or bullied into submitting the interest of the people.

The OACG boss explained that the petition filed with EFCC and ICPC was merely to ask the anti-corruption agencies to scrutinize the financial transactions on the two projects and other contracts awarded by the Ajimobi led –government, adding: “We are not only ready for the high court, he (governor) should proceed to the Supreme Court to contest the veracity of our contention. We are ready for any form of litigation on the issue.

“We cannot be intimidated by such an empty threat from a legal illiterate, who feels bullying people would deter them from pursuing a just cause. And of course for lawyers, who will want to swindle him and the government would jump at the offer to defend such awards of scandalous contracts.”

Ogundipe stressed that the new twist of legal action would mark the beginning of the end of Ajimobi’s administration in Oyo State, while calling on the EFCC and ICPC to act promptly on the group petition.

Ladoja , akala,adedibu and the other living corpses around the southwest.
Never again.

bloggernaija: Ladoja , akala,adedibu and the other living corpses around the southwest.
Never again.

Tinubu? Fashola?

If Ajimobi's hands are clean, then he should have no fear of the anti graft agencies after all its only a petition.

talktimi: If Ajimobi's hands are clean, then he should have no fear of the anti graft agencies after all its only a petition.

Well said.