The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that a ₦13.7 billion annual payroll fraud exists under the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The accusation was presented during a world press conference addressed by the state APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in Osogbo on Friday, 2026.

NEWSWORLD previously reported that the Osun State Government firmly rejected allegations of a ₦13 billion payroll scam linked to Sally Tibbot Limited. In a statement issued by Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, the government described the renewed claims as fabricated and politically motivated by the APC.

According to the government, no such fraud occurred, emphasizing that a verification of the disputed audit report showed that more than two-thirds of those identified as ghost workers were legitimate employees with valid identification and proper documentation.

The administration further stated that Governor Adeleke remained receptive to investigations by anti-corruption agencies, noting that he had originally initiated the staff audit to address reported payroll discrepancies.

However, speaking at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office along Gbongan-Osogbo Road, Lawal asserted that statements attributed to the vice chairman and chief executive officer of Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, Saadat Ottun, substantiated the party’s longstanding concerns regarding the state’s payroll structure.

Lawal argued that the disclosures confirmed what he described as significant irregularities within the administration and called on anti-corruption agencies to thoroughly examine the matter.

The alleged complicity of Dr Deji Adeleke and of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, alongside other key members of the governor’s inner circle, raises serious concerns that non-state actors and those not known to law collude with characters entrusted with the administration of the state over the past three years to shortchange the people of the state and illegally enrich themselves with the wealth of the people.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to resign from office over the alleged payroll fraud controversy.

The party stated that stepping down would allow for an independent and transparent investigation into the matter.

He specifically urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to initiate a comprehensive investigation.

The APC chairman also expressed concern about the alleged involvement of individuals within the governor’s inner circle, urging investigators to determine their potential roles in the reported findings.

Lawal questioned the administrative framework of the state government, stating that residents of Osun State deserve transparency regarding authority and accountability structures.

The opposition party additionally raised concerns about what it described as delayed action following the submission of the audit report in July 2024.

Lawal asked why decisive measures had reportedly not been implemented despite alleged discoveries of payroll anomalies. He claimed that a civil servant was purportedly collecting salaries allocated to 5,615 workers, describing the allegation as alarming and warranting urgent scrutiny.

“If this claim proves to be true, continued inaction would be unjustifiable,” Lawal stated.

The APC chairman also demanded clarification over the reported procurement of an Automated Payroll Administrative System valued at ₦79 million, alleging that payment was made without confirmed delivery or operational deployment.

Lawal criticized the state government’s denial of the allegations, suggesting that such responses might intensify public concern.

He maintained that only a transparent and independent probe would effectively address the controversy.

The party reiterated its call for relevant anti-corruption agencies to rigorously investigate the allegations and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable in accordance with the law.

In January, the forensic audit firm Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited alleged that the Osun State Government added 8,452 ghost workers to its payroll, resulting in an annual financial loss of ₦13,716,914,129.28.

The claim was disclosed by the firm’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, who spoke through its legal counsel, Jiti Ogunye, during a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Lagos.

Bakrin-Ottun stated that the figures emerged from a comprehensive forensic audit and payroll validation exercise conducted for the Osun State Government, which she said uncovered widespread payroll irregularities within the state’s civil and public service.

At the time the allegations became public, the state government denied them, arguing that the unusually high number of alleged ghost workers cited by the consultant required a re-verification process, which it said revealed substantial inflation in the originally submitted figures.