Exclusive Insight: Osun State Government Blasts N13bn Payroll Scam Allegation as Politically-Motivated “Fake News” — Full Breakdown and Political Implications
In a forceful response to recent claims of a purported ₦13 billion payroll scam, the Osun State Government has firmly rejected the allegations, dismissing them as “fake news” orchestrated by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) rather than a substantiated accounting irregularity. The dispute has captured national attention, fueling political tension in Osun State while raising crucial questions about public payroll integrity, forensic audit credibility, and administrative accountability.
📌 What Triggered the Controversy?
The controversy began when Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, a Lagos-based forensic audit firm engaged by the Osun State Government, released findings alleging severe payroll irregularities within the state’s civil service. According to the firm’s CEO, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, their audit purportedly uncovered thousands of “ghost workers” — individuals receiving salaries despite not being bona fide employees — resulting in annual estimated losses of around ₦13 to ₦13.7 billion.
The audit firm’s claims included:
Identification of 8,452 unidentified active workers and 5,831 pensioners allegedly absent from physical and biometric verification;
Allegations that some bank accounts received multiple salaries — one reportedly receiving salaries for up to 962 workers monthly, another for 5,615 — which raised red flags about fraud and payroll manipulation.
The firm publicised its findings during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Tonight, asserting that the audit aimed to clean up the payroll system inherited from previous administrations. They said the exercise spanned June 2023 to June 2024 and was intended to drive transparency and fiscal discipline across the state’s workforce.
🛑 Osun Government’s Position: “No ₦13bn Scam — It’s Fake News”
Responding swiftly, the Osun State Government condemned the allegations in a strongly worded statement issued by Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment. The government categorically rejected the payroll fraud claims, describing them as misleading and politically motivated disinformation allegedly propagated by the APC.
Key Points in the Government’s Rebuttal:
1. Audit Results Re-verification:
The state government maintained that after completing its own re-verification of the audit report, more than two-thirds of individuals initially flagged as ghost workers were confirmed to be bonafide staff with proper documentation and identification.
2. Historic Payroll Issues:
Osun officials stressed that if any payroll irregularities existed, they originated from the previous administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, not the current government. This aligns with the state’s argument that the audit was intended to address inherited issues rather than conceal ongoing fraud.
3. Implementation Challenges:
The government highlighted that it welcomed audits and transparency but approached the results critically when significant discrepancies emerged during re-verification.
4. Accusations Against the Consultant:
Officials accused Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited of inflating the number of alleged ghost workers to roughly 15,000 — purportedly to claim a larger commission under the terms of the agreement. The presentation of exaggerated figures, the government argued, was part of a calculated effort to pressure state authorities into adopting the audit firm’s recommendations.
5. Political Angle:
The statement directly tied the payroll fraud narrative to political machinations by the APC, contending that the opposition is exploiting the audit controversy to undermine Governor Ademola Adeleke and tarnish the state administration’s reputation.
🔍 What Independent Reviews and Opposition Parties Are Saying
📊 APC’s Demand for Independent Probe
Notably, the Osun State chapter of the APC has echoed concerns over the payroll audit, calling for independent investigations by anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and the ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission). Party officials argued that continued inaction or dismissal of the audit findings would deepen public distrust and could indicate administrative complicity.
During a press briefing, APC leaders highlighted alarming audit findings such as accounts receiving thousands of salaries each month — figures that they assert should not be dismissed lightly without transparent evaluation by external agencies.
📝 Calls for Transparency from Other Political Actors
Other political actors, including candidates from alternative parties, have criticised the state government’s defence, urging complete transparency and public release of payroll data and audit findings. These critics argue that strengthening public trust requires openness, not political blame games.
🧾 Broader Context: Audits, Payroll Reforms and Previous Actions
The current dispute did not emerge in isolation. When Governor Adeleke first received the staff audit report in mid-2024, he established an implementation committee to study and act on the audit’s recommendations. This committee included senior government officials, labour union representatives, and civil service stakeholders to ensure that reforms were deliberate, inclusive, and equitable.
However, the eventual fallout occurred when controversies around implementation, verification, and disagreements on core findings escalated publicly — opening the door to political weaponisation of the narrative.
🧨 What This Means for Osun State’s Public Trust
This clash over payroll fraud allegations in Osun goes beyond mere numbers; it highlights several broader governance challenges facing Nigerian states:
🧾 Audit Integrity: How transparent and reliable are internally commissioned audits, especially when data interpretation can vary dramatically between consultants and officials?
⚖️ Political Fallout: When audits intersect with politics, there is an increased risk that legitimate concerns are dismissed as partisan attacks — potentially obscuring genuine issues.
📢 Public Confidence: Citizens expect accountability — not just rebuttals. Independent verification by trusted institutions remains key to ensuring credibility.
📊 Policy Reforms: The debate underscores the importance of robust systems for payroll management, biometric validation, and safeguards against misuse of public funds.
🟡 Final Thoughts
While the Osun State Government has labelled the ₦13bn payroll scam allegation as fake news sponsored by the APC, the broader debate underscores deeper structural concerns about payroll management, transparency in public service, and the intersection of politics and governance.
Governor Adeleke’s administration claims it remains open to independent investigations by anti-corruption agencies — a position that, if followed through, could help establish clarity and strengthen institutional trust.
However, until such external inquiries take place, political narratives on both sides will continue shaping public perception — making clarity, accountability, and independent verification essential components of any lasting resolution.
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