The Ogun state government has refuted claims that a former Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Bidemi Rufai, brought in a business investor to the state during his short stint as the governor’s aide.
The state government also debunked the report that Rufai, who was convicted of fraud in the United States of America and since been serving jail term was being paid $2,000 as an aide to the governor.
An online news medium had reported that Governor Abiodun was paying $50,000 to Rufai each time he introduced people to him, along with monthly salary of $2,000.
In a statement signed by the chief press secretary to Governor Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, it noted that Rufai, who was appointed by the governor as his senior special assistant on Housing, never had any close relationship with the governor, prior to his appointment.
Somorin said Rufai, like other aides of the governor, was recommended from his ward for the appointment, and not because of any special favour he offered to the governor during his gubernatorial campaigns in 2019.
The statement further faulted and denied the claims by the online medium that Rufai was being paid $2,000 salary, which according to it is “outrageous and baseless.”
Somorin stated further that salaries and wages of political office holders are fixed by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, adding that no member of the government is permitted to any other allowances not known to law.
Somorin added that records in the state never showed that Rufai, while serving in the state, brought a single investor or facilitated any investment from the United States of America and wondered how the former political aide would be paid $50,000 for a deal that never took place.
“Bidemi Rufai was appointed as a senior special assistant to the governor on Housing, and was nominated for appointment barely three months before he was arrested.
“He had not resumed formerly and had no official office to transact business. He wasn’t part of the Ogun State Economic Management Team and have got no input into the state government activities. His appointment was based on his activities in his ward. He didn’t sit in the state Executive Council meetings and couldn’t have had inputs in policies of the state government.
“The governor had no deal with Rufai on any transaction. He brought not a single one. They can check with the US embassy,” the statement added.
