Ministerial screening: Rauf Aregbesola speaks on owing salaries as Osun governor

Rauf Aregbesola, former Governor of Osun State now President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominee, has refuted claims of not paying workers during his eight-year tenure as governor.

Aregbesola stressed that allegations of him not paying workers during his tenure as governor were due to mischief and ignorance.

He made the clarification during his confirmation hearing on the floor of the Senate on Monday.

According to Aregbesola: “Rumours of owed salaries in Osun during my tenure was due to mischief and ignorance.

“By 2014, our nation was in distress, and virtually all states had difficulty with salaries.

“We came up with an approach that there is no month that any public official did not have salary every month.”

The Senate had on Tuesday last week commenced the screening of the ministerial nominees Buhari sent to them for confirmation among whom was Aregbesola.

The nominees include: Chris Ngige, Babatunde Fashola, Hadi Sirika, Rotimi Amaechi, Adamu Adamu, Mohammed Adamu, and Lai Mohammed.

Others in the list are: Uche Ogah, Emeka Nwajuiba, Sadiya Farouk, Musa Bello, Godswill Akpabio, Sharon Ikeazor, Ogbonnaya Onu, Akpa Udo, and Adebayo (Ekiti), Timipre Sylva, Adamu Adamu, Shewuye (Borno), Isa Pantami, Gbemi Saraki, Ramatu Tijani, Clement Abam.

Also listed as among the nominees are: Paullen Tallen, Abubakar Aliyu, Sale Mamman, Abubakar Malami, Muhammed Mamood, Mustapha Buba Jedi Agba, Olamilekan Adegbite, and Mohammed Dangyadi.