Damning Evidence On Ogun/Osun River Basin Scandal — The Alleged Yayi Unholy Connection
The Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) scandal is a damning indictment of Nigeria’s public sector, exposing a toxic mix of corruption, impunity, and institutional decay. Tasked with harnessing the nation’s water resources for agricultural development, OORBDA has instead become a veritable cash cow for corrupt officials, siphoning public funds through inflated contracts, substandard jobs, and payments for undone work. The EFCC and BPP investigations have peeled back the layers of this tangled web, revealing a leadership more invested in personal enrichment than its core mandate, using divide-and-rule tactics and settling loyal officials to maintain a grip on power. This is not just a case of corruption, but a symptom of a deeper rot that threatens to consume Nigeria’s public institutions.
When The Downturn Hits OORBDA
While OORBDA has remained a hot bed of dirty deals and miserable performance since established in 1976/1977 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to manage water resources for agriculture and development in Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Lagos States, things took a turn for the worse between 2024 and 2025 with the influx of federal lawmakers’ constituency project funds, under its former MD/CEO Olufemi Odumosu and Dr Deji Ashiru, the incumbent CEO.
According to some insiders, the modus operandi for getting additional funds for the agency was to go to the federal lawmakers to lobby for funds.” When they inaugurated the National Assembly, it happened that the chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola, was from our South West zone, and our MDA reached out to him for assistance; he promised to give us more money since the River Basin Development Authority is from his geographical area. So, the allocation increased from something like N5b to something like N24b,” an executive director, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, declared
The success of the agency’s efforts should not spring any surprise. Senator Adeola is a force to be reckoned with in Nigerian politics. As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, he’s got the power to shape the country’s budget and drive development. However, the involvement of Senator Olamilekan Adeola is strategically linked to his drive to leverage his political ambition with his overwhelming influence as the chairman of a very strategic senate committee on Appropriation. But it’s not just about the position – Adeola’s got a reputation for being a proactive and passionate lawmaker, always pushing for progress and accountability. And with his sights set on the Ogun State governorship, it’s clear he’s got big plans for his people. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny Adeola’s got ambition and energy – and that’s what Nigerian politics needs more of. Sources revealed Adeola allegedly leveraged his clout in the National Assembly to funnel funds to the agency.
But the stench of corruption emanating from the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) is overwhelming with this opportunity. “It’s as if the additional funds were a green light for mismanagement and graft, with officials allegedly exploiting the system to feed their own interests. The result is a litany of failed projects, inflated contracts, and a trail of unfulfilled promises, leaving the people of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, and Osun States to wonder when they’ll see the benefits of their own development. The rot goes deep, and it’s time for accountability.”, an insider declared.
Surprisingly, Senator Soloman Olamilekan Adeola’s alleged dirty deals in the agency he assisted to boost its fund took a center stage. The senator’s alleged “insatiable greed, coupled with the avarice of former MD Odumosu and incumbent MD/CEO Deji Ashiru, has left the agency a shadow of its former self, plundered to the bone marrow”. Even Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, is not believed to be a saint as well, the allegation against him is purely that of complicity driven by bribery.
The OORBDA scandal threatening Senator Adeola’s gubernatorial ambitions reveals a tangled web of power and corruption. He milked his powerful perch as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, pulling strings to pump up OORBDA’s coffers with constituency project funds – and now, he’s being slammed for playing dirty. The senator is mired in a corruption scandal, with allegations of demanding a staggering 50% kickback on contracts, trashing due process, and diverting projects to his home state of Ogun, where he’s rumoured to be gearing up for a 2027 gubernatorial run. He’s accused of using fronts to award contracts to companies tied to him, painting a picture of blatant self-enrichment and power abuse.
The question remains: how did this contentious deal come to light, who opposed it, and who backed it? Though the agency’s chief executive could strike a deal to get funds elsewhere outside the annual federal government allocation like the one coming from the lawmakers constituency projects fund, he does not have the exclusive power to issue contracts out without following the due process. The alleged kickback scheme involving Senator Adeola and Ogun/Osun River Basin officials raises questions about the logistics of corruption. While it’s “easy” to demand bribes, delivering the them to the senator and ensuring the MD gets his cut was reportedly a Herculean task. The management structure of River Basin Authorities in Nigeria is designed to promote accountability, transparency, and effective resource management. The Board of Directors, led by a Chairman, sets the overall strategy, while the Executive Management, headed by a Managing Director, oversees day-to-day operations. The segregation of duties among Executive Directors, such as the Director of Budget and the Director of Engineering, provides checks and balances, ensuring that contracts are thoroughly vetted and payments are justified. The Director of Engineering’s oversight of contract quality before payment adds an extra layer of scrutiny, while the Bureau of Public Procurements’ regulatory oversight ensures compliance with procurement guidelines. This structure, if functioning effectively, should prevent abuses of power and ensure that resources are utilized efficiently to achieve the authorities’ mandates. With multiple parties involved, the risk of exposure increases, and the scramble for spoils can lead to bitter disputes.
In the Act that established all the river basins, check and balance is entrenched to enable transparency and due process. The fact is that one of the executive directors is in charge of the budget, another in charge of finance while another, the director of engineering must sign any project before payment after a certificate of completion is issued.
From our investigations, both Femi Odumosu, the immediate past MD, and Dr Deji Ashiru, the incumbent CEO, allegedly agreed to play ball. However, while Odumosu negotiated for 30 per cent, Ashiru, that replaced him controversially agreed for 50 per cent despite the fact that he was informed that 30 per cent was already the agreement before he came on board. Unfortunately, Odumosu was sacked after he was suspected for working with the former Vice President, Osinbajo that brought him while Ashiru allegedly changed the demand to 50 percent despite the fact he was briefed on the agreement on ground.
However, to deliver the above alleged conditionalities from the fund-raisers, the chief executive must be diplomatic enough to carry along both the four executive directors and the board chairman who are the members of the tender board .If any illegality would be entertained, there must be an agreement to that effect.
But the senator’s alleged corruption scheme at OORBDA hit a roadblock when the agency’s executive directors refused to play ball with their Ashiru who allegedly told them the conditions allegedly behind the funding. It seemed the senator found it easier to sway his Senate colleagues into releasing constituency funds than Ashiru found it to convince OORBDA’s the executive directors and board members to go along with his alleged demands for 50% kickbacks and sweetheart contracts for companies tied to him.
Unfortunately, getting the agreements of the above critical officials became a tug of war either for commission or omission. Sequel to this, the walls began to close in on OORBDA’s corrupt clique as whistleblowers emerged, revealing a culture of resistance among officials who refused to be complicit in the senator’s alleged graft. “We drew the line at their shady deals,” insiders revealed, “and started boycotting management meetings to avoid being party to the corruption.” This bold stance by officials who dared to challenge the status quo has exposed the entrenched corruption, sending shockwaves through the agency and sparking hopes that accountability may finally be within reach.
The disagreement sparked intense controversy and laid bare the entrenched corruption in the agency for two reasons. First, few of those in opposition to the kickback agenda were not really annoyed with 30 per cent because with 70 per cent on ground they believed jobs of reasonable quality could be executed without raising any eyebrow. However, a situation where Ashiru himself allegedly rooted for his own 20 per cent, thereby leaving the contractors with only 30 per cent was the real bone of contention .Also, a situation where due process would not be followed and companies allegedly linked to the senator would be favoured was not acceptable to both the executive directors and the contractors bidding for jobs.
Notwithstanding, Ashiru appeared undeterred and he had way. Therefore, when some executive directors appointed during Odumosu’s tenure became recalcitrant and stopped attending meetings where critical decisions were taken, they were allegedly replaced with more pliable officials. However, the killer joker employed to end the crises and confrontations in the 2024 financial year was the sacking of the executive directors under the pretext that were being replaced by the new ones by the president six months before the expiration of their tenure despite the fact their colleagues in the other river basins were still in office.
That Dr. Deji Ashiru’s action had his way may not spring any surprise, to him, the end justifies the means. Ashiru got the job of the chief executive of OORBDA in a very a controversial way. Knowing full well an Ijebu man, Odumosu from the same state left the office and it would be difficult for anyone from Ogun to occupy that position after him ,either by commission or omission, he manipulated his credentials to claim he is from Osun State and he got the job. However, when his name was mentioned in the announcement as a native of Osun State, he was exposed. This created controversy around him as dubious, though he was allowed to continue with the interference of his backers. However, to those who believed it was an error then, it is now clear the type of person he is, particularly with the on-going mess surrounding his tenure. Beyond that, his backers among lawmakers are powerful. For this alone, Ashiru became extremely and suddenly arrogant, a few months into his tenure.
With the exit of executives who were sacked for refusing to sign off on shady deals, the rot continued unchecked. This gave Ashiru the opportunity to issue the certificates of completion on jobs undone or substandard and ordered to be signed by some personnel in the service, a request resisted by the executive director designated legitimately to do so. This allegedly made it possible for Ashiru to be allegedly awarding contracts without due process; contracts were allegedly given freely to some companies without due process, inflating contracts, paying for jobs not done and substandard jobs.
Ashiru like a leopard will never change his spot. However, in 2025, before Ashiru actually gained the control of OORBDA, he had fight another battle. After the exit of those directors, those that replaced were also confronted by the same illegalities. For this, Ashiru was equally resisted just as petitions were fired to the appropriate quarters against him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had investigated 28 companies linked to the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) over alleged contract irregularities. The probe followed a petition by three Executive Directors of OORBDA, namely Sowade Oluwakayode, Ayobami Oyalowo, and Sulaimon Oris, who alleged serious violations in the Authority’s 2025 procurement exercise. The allegations included breach of procurement procedure, opaque financial bid openings, and approval of grossly inflated estimates. The petitioners claimed that contracts were awarded without following proper procedures, and some contractors were compelled to purchase materials from specific vendors. The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) also launched a probe into OORBDA, citing allegations of contract fraud, bid rigging, and other procurement irregularities. The BPP suspended the affected procurements pending the outcome of the investigation.
The investigations into Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), indeed, yielded several outcomes. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probed 28 companies linked to OORBDA over alleged contract irregularities, including breach of procurement procedures and inflated estimates. The probe followed a petition by three Executive Directors of OORBDA, namely Sowade Oluwakayode, Ayobami Oyalowo, and Sulaimon Oris, who alleged serious violations in the Authority’s 2025 procurement exercise. One of the major allegations was that contracts worth over ₦40 billion were awarded to Ogun State, leaving other states disadvantaged. This raised concerns about the fairness and equity of the contract allocation process, and suggested that the interests of other states may have been compromised.
Another allegation was that contractors submitted bids matching inflated internal estimates, suggesting unauthorized access to internal data. This bid rigging scheme allegedly allowed contractors to submit bids that were tailored to match the inflated estimates, undermining the integrity of the procurement process. The investigation also revealed that contracts were awarded without following proper procedures, and some contractors were compelled to purchase materials from specific vendors. This procurement irregularity raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of OORBDA’s procurement processes.
When Ashiru Finally Cages them All
Today, despite the description of the reports of the investigations into the petitions written against him as damming by the DG of BPP, Ashiru appeared to be moving freely and living affluence without any punishment. The question remains: who will tame Ashiru and safe OORBDA from total collapse?, Some insiders believed unless Ashiru is tamed and made to face judgement for alleged dirty deals , there is no hope for rescuing OORBDA from the current rots or bringing all other culprits to book.
What’s more disturbing is his alleged ability to silence critics and buy off opposition, including executive directors who initially petitioned against him. Ashiru’s alleged corruption and abuse of power have been an open secret, but what’s shocking is the ease with which he’s managed to silence critics and buy loyalty. Executive directors who once bravely petitioned against him have reportedly been “settled” with promises of personal gain, thanks to alleged intervention from a powerful minister. The Director General of BPP’s damning report has been conveniently shelved, and Ashiru continues to operate with impunity.
Operating with impunity, Ashiru has allegedly turned the agency into his personal fiefdom. His current move to sell the agency vehicles, including two Toyota Prado jeeps he upgraded with taxpayer funds, is just the tip of the iceberg. The audacity is staggering – having spent ₦27 million each on upgrading these vehicles to the latest model, he’s now trying to cash out, with the agency likely to take the hit. This move has exposed Ashiru’s blatant disregard for accountability and his determination to pillage the agency’s resources, leaving OORBDA’s future in tatters. Ironically, darkness has descended on OORBDA’s Abeokuta headquarters since last September; the building has been plunged in darkness, mirroring the void of accountability and transparency that has characterized Deji Ashiru’s tenure as Managing Director.
No doubt about it, Ashiru will be difficult to tame when his backers in the corridor of power are still much around or a concrete evidence to prove the allegation of 50 per cut allegedly demanded by Senator Adeola is made available. One thing is clear, although Senator Adeola denied the above allegations, we can say with evidence that all the top officials and executive directors interviewed by this medium alleged that Senator Adeola demanded a 50% kickback as both Odumosu and Ashiru allegedly told them at the management meetings. He allegedly brought companies to execute contracts when those companies did not necessarily scale through both technical and financial evaluations; appointed a proxy named Osho to monitor the agency’s activities and ensure payment to those companies.
In fact, a top official, who claimed to be a member of the team that met Senator Adeola one on one and negotiated funding with a 30 percent agreement during the tenure of Odumosu, the immediate past MD/CEO of the agency, is on our tape. He revealed how a shocking 50% kickback allegedly demanded from Ogun/Osun River Basin funds by Senator Adeola, was negotiated to 30 per cent after much pressure, though this was later allegedly increased to 50% as claimed by the current MD/CEO, Dr Deji Ashiru in the absence of this top official. As part of the lobby team, he recounted how Yayi helped secure N17.5 billion in funding, with the condition that projects would only be executed in Ogun State. According to him, he had to appeal to Yayi to allow the agency to use at least N2 billion each of the funds for other states, with a 30% kickback on every project.
“However, when Ashiru took over, he allegedly changed the deal to a 50% cut for Yayi, while pocketing 20% for himself. This brazen betrayal of trust led to a toxic atmosphere between him and Ashiru, as allegations of embezzlement and corruption engulfed OORBDA.” “This is the point of my disagreement with him. There’s no way 30 percent will be enough to do any project of good standard. That’s why a road contract of N500m executed in Ilesha was washed away the third day it was constructed; the same thing with a dam in Fiditi. Almost 75 percent of the jobs executed in 2024 have collapsed now.
Also, another executive currently in office confirmed it as well and we have it on tape too. Though this executive director suddenly denied having an interviewed with us after he was allegedly settled. His denial and the alleged settlement reached to him could not spring any surprise. In the same interview we had in his office, he confided in us that the power that be had reached out to his boss, a serving minister, that influenced his appointment and he had been warned to cooperate with them. “After the warning, they told me I will be taken care of in the next budget.”
A key challenge in the ongoing fraud allegations in OORBDA is that unless Ashiru is apprehended and made to account for the shady deals in the agency it would be very to prove the allegations against the senator. Another issue that that could throw lights into the whole corruption saga is to force the DG of BPP to bring out the reports of the investigations prompted by the petitions written against Ashiru and his proxies. This is because the above evidence may not enough to nail the senator on the above allegations.
To unravel the whole controversy, the court need to summon the Director-General to bring out the damning reports he said were available when he addressing the management team both late last year and early this year as claimed by one executive director and one top official in our conversations with them which we have on tape. The Director-General of BPP was quoted to tag the yet to be released reports of both EFCC and BPP as damming. To us, this remains pregnant and could be the last joker to nail Ashiru. One top and one executive director confirmed to this medium that the DG while addressing them late last year and this year told them point blank that reports against the leadership of the agency are damming.
The question remains if the reports were damming why is the DG so reluctant to release the reports or punish the culprits as the chief regulator of the procurement ACT?, For his reluctance, the DG has come under fire in the recent time.
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is now at the center of controversy surrounding the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) scandal. The BPP’s suspension of OORBDA’s procurement activities was a significant move, but allegations against its Director General, Adedokun, suggest a possible cover-up. Claims of bribery and reluctance to release investigation reports raise questions about the BPP’s impartiality.
The EFCC’s probe into OORBDA’s alleged contract irregularities, involving 28 companies, highlights the depth of corruption. The BPP’s own investigation, triggered by a petition from OORBDA’s Executive Directors, revealed skewed project allocations, procurement breaches, and inflated contracts. The agency’s inability to address these issues has led to accusations of complicity.
If those behind the fraud allegations are not brought to book, this may lead to a total collapse of OORBDA. The leadership of OORBDA has continued to employ various tricks to embezzle funds meant for development projects. One of the most egregious tactics is the “recycling of projects,” where the agency repeatedly budgets for the same projects, siphoning millions of naira in the process. Since 2014, a staggering ₦365 million has been allocated for these recurring projects, with ₦140 million in 2017, ₦135 million in 2016, and ₦90 million in 2015 alone. This shell game has left vital projects abandoned, such as the Agbado-Isoye Water Scheme, Igbojaye Earth Dam, and Asa Earth Dam, leaving communities without access to clean water, irrigation, or flood control.
Another insidious trick employed by OORBDA’s leadership is paying for undone jobs, where contractors are paid for work that was never done, with officials pocketing the funds. An executive director revealed a heated confrontation with Ashiru, the agency’s leader, over his refusal to sign files for undone jobs. This tactic not only drains the agency’s resources but also undermines the integrity of its operations.
The agency’s leadership has perfected the art of corruption, using intimidation and manipulation to silence those who dare to speak out. The agency’s leadership has also been accused of bribing high-profile officials to silence them and kill petitions. Whistleblowers and others who might expose corruption are bought off, ensuring the agency’s dirty secrets remain hidden. This was evident in the case of the Director of Finance, who was allegedly “settled” and is now overseas with Ashiru, despite previously being at loggerheads with him over corruption allegations. The agency’s officials have also used divide and rule tactics, pitting stakeholders against each other to maintain their grip on power. Ashiru is accused of freely giving money to those on his side, taking them on lavish trips, and sidelining those who oppose him.
Over-invoicing trips and training is another tactic used by OORBDA’s leadership to embezzle funds. Fake receipts and invoices are submitted for trips never taken or training never attended, with officials lining their pockets with the excess funds. The agency’s officials have also been accused of selling assets at giveaway prices, disposing of agency assets, including vehicles, to officials at bargain prices. This clever scheme has been used to devastating effect, depriving the agency of much-needed resources.
The agency’s leadership has also been accused of bribing media houses to buy silence and favorable coverage. Media outlets are paid to ignore corruption and mismanagement, instead publishing flattering stories about the agency’s leadership. This tactic has been used to great effect, with many media outlets choosing to ignore the agency’s problems in favor of receiving a share of the bribes. The recent attempt by Ashiru to auction agency vehicles under five years old, allegedly to silence the minister, is a clear example of this corruption. The people of Ogun and Osun states deserve better from OORBDA, and it’s time for accountability and transparency to prevail.
A disturbing scandal is unfolding within the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), involving the Shungai farming project located within the agency’s headquarters. The project, initiated under the leadership of Odumosu, had reached 60% completion when it was abruptly terminated by Ashiru, who took over and awarded the contract to a seemingly fake company.
The original contractor, who had executed the project thus far, alleges that he was unjustly removed and paid to demolish the existing work, supposedly due to “substandard” quality. This raises eyebrows, especially considering the contractor’s significant investment of resources and labor.
The contractor’s removal and the subsequent award of the contract to another entity smell of foul play, suggesting a deliberate attempt to hijack the project for personal gain. The involvement of a “fake company” in the award process further points to corruption and cronyism.
The OORBDA leadership’s actions have not only compromised the project’s integrity but also undermined the agency’s mandate to drive agricultural development in the region. This scandal highlights the pervasive corruption within Nigeria’s public sector, where powerful individuals manipulate institutions for personal enrichment.
The contractor, who has firsthand knowledge of the project’s details, is willing to share more information, shedding light on the alleged corruption and sabotage. This is a clear case of institutional corruption, where individuals in positions of power prioritize personal gain over public interest.
The Shungai farming project scandal underscores the need for urgent reforms within OORBDA and Nigeria’s public sector. The authorities must investigate and hold accountable those responsible for this brazen abuse of power.
28 controversial companies that were said to belong to him allegedly got 56 jobs allegedly in 2024, making two for each company. To close their track the companies that Yayi is using are allegedly put under the control of Mr Osho though they were taken from the people here and there to make it difficult for anyone to trace any to them Yayi.
The Ikorodu/Isheri dredging project is a prime example, with ₦1.5 billion spent on just 100 meters of dredging. The Camp junction to Ogun Osun headquarters office and Harmony projects were total disasters, with inflated costs and subpar work. Refurbished tractors were bought instead of new ones, and funds meant for projects were diverted.
The Sanghai project in Abeokuta saw Odumosu take 80% of allocated funds, doing subpar work, only for Ashiru to treat it as a new contract and pocket the money. The Ilesha road project saw ₦500 million spent on a road that washed away in a week. Contractors were paid without even knowing the site locations, as seen in the Bansa, Igbo Ora, and Oke Bode projects.
The Fiditi Earth Dam project was abandoned despite a ₦300 million payment to contractors. The Owokuduru project in Ijebu Ode was awarded ₦1 billion, but only ₦300 million was used. The 2025 procurement projects saw Ashiru award contracts to his own companies, manipulating figures and bribing officials to turn a blind eye.
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) launched a probe, citing irregularities, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating 28 companies linked to OORBDA. The BPP official took a ₦800 million bribe, and the EFCC investigation was buried.
