By TDTM
Group Says Ogun Governorship Aspirant Should Clear His Name Before 2027 Election
The Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, over allegations of irregularities in federal budget appropriations.
The organisation also urged political stakeholders to ensure that Adeola clears his name before pursuing his governorship ambition in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
TAN argued that Nigeria must uphold high standards of integrity and accountability in public office, insisting that serious allegations against political officeholders should not be dismissed without a thorough investigation.
“Nigeria is not a banana republic that can be operated as a private commercial enterprise,” the organisation said.
In a statement signed by its president, Dr Oluwole Oladapo, and titled “Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) Cannot Go Into an Election Without Clearing Allegations of Appropriation Corruption,” the group called on the anti-corruption agencies to investigate the allegations against the senator.
Adeola, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, is the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election.
TAN said the allegations surrounding his conduct, particularly in relation to his role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, warranted urgent attention from the relevant authorities.
The organisation maintained that candidates seeking significant public offices should be subjected to appropriate ethical scrutiny, adding that allegations of financial impropriety must not be swept under the carpet for political convenience.
“As an organisation committed to public integrity, TAN asserts that there is nowhere in the civilised world where an individual aspiring to a public office of such great significance would be allowed to contest without satisfactorily clearing his name of serious ethical clouds,” the statement said.
It added that the use of political influence to promote candidates without addressing concerns about their integrity could undermine democratic accountability.
TAN Cites Alleged Budget Irregularities
The group also called for an investigation into Adeola’s activities as chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, citing allegations of the insertion of untraceable or duplicated projects into federal budgets and the allocation of funds to agencies outside their statutory mandates.
According to TAN, these allegations require independent verification by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.
“Beyond identity disputes, we are calling on relevant anti-corruption agencies to immediately intervene and investigate the senator’s performance as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,” the statement said.
The organisation also referenced a petition reportedly submitted to the ICPC by the Pan African Society for Social and Economic Change (PASSEC), which alleged irregularities in federal budgets covering the 2023–2026 period.
The petition reportedly raised concerns about the alleged insertion of untraceable or duplicated projects and the allocation of funds to agencies outside their statutory responsibilities.
TAN expressed concern that the petition had allegedly not received adequate attention, calling on the ICPC to clarify the status of the matter and investigate the claims.
The organisation further linked concerns about budget implementation to the broader challenges of public financial management in Nigeria.
“All Nigerians are aware of the scandalous and epileptic nature of annual budget implementation in this country. The citizens cannot just focus on the Executive organ of government alone because most of these unprecedented budgetary break-and-quench anomalies are caused by the malfunctioning of the Appropriations Committee of the National Assembly, which Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) presides over,” the statement said.
TAN maintained that allegations of this nature should not be treated as mere political disagreements, stressing that public confidence in democratic institutions depends on transparency and accountability.
“The democratic values of our nation are at stake when serious allegations are glossed over by political structures. We cannot treat allegations of this magnitude as mere political noise,” Oladapo said.
Group Wants Governorship Process Suspended
The organisation called on law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to investigate the allegations relating to the senator’s office and his role in the federal budget process.
It also urged political parties to prioritise integrity and accountability when selecting candidates for elective positions.
“We call on political parties to refrain from bypassing ethical scrutiny in the deployment of candidates for significant public offices,” the statement added.
TAN insisted that democratic accountability must remain central to leadership and governance, arguing that candidates facing serious allegations should address them through the appropriate institutions.
“Therefore, we demand that until all these allegations have been properly and satisfactorily cleared, all processes regarding the senator’s governorship ambition should be put on hold,” the group said.
It further called for Adeola’s disqualification from the 2027 governorship race pending the outcome of a full investigation into the allegations.
The claims cited by TAN remain allegations and require verification by the relevant authorities. No finding of wrongdoing by the senator is established by the organisation’s statement alone.
