I travelled mostly with my family’s private jet, Adeleke defends travel expenses

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has defended himself against criticisms over alleged excessive travel spending, clarifying that he often uses his family’s private jet to reduce costs to the state.

Responding to reports accusing his administration of extravagant international travel expenses, Governor Adeleke said the figures being circulated include the cost of training and travel for public servants across over 100 state agencies — not just the governor’s office.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor insisted he remains committed to transparency and prudent management of public funds.

“A detailed breakdown of the state’s travel expenses shows that the amount directly linked to the governor is very minimal, as I mostly fund my trips personally using my family’s private jet — including the current visit to the United States,” Adeleke was quoted as saying.

Rasheed explained that many ministries and agencies conducted their local and international training in the first half of the year, ahead of expected political activities that may disrupt such programmes in the second half of 2025.

He described opposition-sponsored reports on the matter as “misleading and mischievous,” noting that the government had voluntarily published the expenditure data on its website in the spirit of openness.

“The sponsored publication is a failed attempt to misrepresent legitimate spending on local and international training for public servants, critical overheads, and facility maintenance across over 100 agencies,” Rasheed said.

He further clarified that the quoted figures for the first two quarters of 2025 cover the travel, accommodation, and feeding of commissioners, permanent secretaries, heads of tertiary institutions, directors, and other senior officials.

“The Governor is just the head of government. It is inaccurate to personalise the entire expenditure. These trainings are essential for capacity building and long-term value to the state,” he said.

Highlighting some of the key international engagements, Rasheed mentioned the Commonwealth Business Investment Conference, where Governor Adeleke led a delegation that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ESG Management Services UK Ltd. to attract investments in agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals, and other key sectors.

Other notable trips included those by the Ministries of Commerce and Industry; Agriculture and Food Security; Science, Innovation and Digital Economy; Climate Change and Renewable Energy; Water Resources; and the Office of Mining and Natural Resources, among others.

“These engagements are part of the Governor’s broader agenda for public service reform and global best practices. Top civil servants have undergone international training to sharpen their skills and boost efficiency,” Rasheed noted.

He also attributed the seemingly high cost of travel to the sharp depreciation of the Naira, pointing out that exchange rates have dramatically raised the Naira equivalent of foreign expenses.

“To get $1,000 today, you need about ₦1.6 million, unlike in previous years when ₦400,000 sufficed. This exchange rate crisis makes current figures appear inflated, even though the number of delegates and frequency of travel has been reduced compared to past administrations,” he added.

On other overhead items such as cleaning, fumigation, and refreshments, Rasheed explained that the figures reflect routine maintenance of the state secretariat, Government House, health facilities, public schools, and various agencies.

He reaffirmed the Governor’s commitment to transparency, stressing that the state government voluntarily released the financial details in question.

“There is no foul play. We encourage interested parties to request further details through the Freedom of Information Act. There are no smoking guns,” Rasheed concluded.

Yar’adua  who aspired for the Katsina State governorship in 2023, said, “They only cater to the interests of the petit-bourgeois elements and the interests of International Monopoly Capital.” He announced that he would be joining the ADC, describing it as a party “poised to change and re-shape the course of Nigeria’s political history.”

“I pray and hope that my numerous supporters, associates, and admirers in Katsina State will soon join me in the ADC,” he said