Nigerians Demand Prosecution Of Orelope-Adefulire And Others Involved In Alleged N433m Bus Scandal
jamal 
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Nigerians warn him not to protect Orelope-Adefulire
Nigerians have started calling for the prosecution of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and others involved in the alleged N443 million bus scandal that engulfed the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) and some members of the 9th House of Representatives linked directly with the supply of buses to some schools in the southwest Nigeria in 2021.
A newspaper report had blown open the scandal where the sum of N443 million was being paid to some contractors to supply and deliver ten 27-seater buses to some public schools in Ondo, Oyo and Lagos states. While the money was paid to the contractors, the buses were not delivered to the beneficiary schools.
The report went ahead to reveal how the OSSAP-SDGs hurriedly delivered some used and rickety buses to the schools in January 2024 in the wake of the media reports which exposed the scandal.
Nigerians who spoke with this newspaper on the scandal are surprised that something must be wrong somewhere for new buses meant for delivery in 2021 now resurfaced in 2024 but are now being used and in rickety conditions.
Dr Tunde Charles, a lawyer and activist, described the action of the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and others involved in the scandal as a criminal breach of trust. He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe and prosecute whoever is found wanting and culpable in the scandal.
“From what I read about one Hammed Kawo, who work at OSSAP-SDGs, it’s glaring that contracts for the supply of buses were awarded and payment made in 2021, unfortunately for this country, buses were never delivered to those schools but to the supposed leader of the House of Representatives. Kawo has to tell us more he knew about the transactions because with the position he held; he is competent to speak on it.
“As a lawyer, when I pondered on the issue, the first question that came to my mind is why was it that the media report had to pressurise these people to hurriedly supply the schools with the buses in January 2024 after they have been used?
‘This is purely a diversion of public assets purchased with Nigerian money by the OSSAP-SDGs and that leader of the House of Representatives. The funny thing is that he or she may still in the corridors of power as we speak.
“I think Orelope-Adefulire should come out clean on this and tell Nigerians the level of her involvement in this scandal. We will also need to know the identity of the 9th House of Representatives leader and the purpose the buses were diverted for between 2021 and 2024,” Dr Charles said.
To another legal practitioner, Kingsley Chukwu, this is a litmus test for the EFCC as it’s understood that Orelope-Adefulire is the political daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This is what made the whole scandal very interesting to me in particular and I will keep on monitoring the event as it unfolds. People involved must pay for this evil done to the school children. Only God knows where they kept those buses since 2021,” he said.
Lawyer Kingsley charged the EFCC to show that it is not partial in fighting corruption in the society because “I cannot understand if former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and ex-Minister of Humanitarian, Beta Edu can be dealt with by Tinubu’s government, I don’t know why characters involved in these shady deals still enjoy the luxury of their offices,” Kingsley said.
