The Spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, has said the data released by Debt Management Office DMO) has vindicated the Adeleke-led administration on the debt profile of the state.

He added that as against the “falsehood published by certain online news platforms and amplified by the All Progressives Congress (APC)”, the external debt of Osun State, according to the DMO, has reduced by 15 per cent, while domestic debt also reduced by 42 per cent.

Speaking via a statement issued on Sunday, Rasheed indicated that the Domestic debt of Osun State was ₦148.37 billion as at December 2022, but reduced to ₦86.06 billion as at June 2024, while foreign debt as at December 2022 was $91.78 million, but reduced to $78.17 million as at June 2024.

He said: “The truth remains that Osun State debt profile has actually reduced under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the last two years. Data doesn’t lie and cannot be hidden.

“The domestic debt of Osun State was ₦148.37 billion as at December 2022, but it has now reduced to N86.06 billion as at June 2024.

“In the same manner, foreign debt as at December 2022 was $91.78 million, but it has now reduced to $78.17 million as at June 2024.

What that means is that the domestic debt of Osun reduced by 42 per cent and also the external debt reduced by 15 per cent within two years of our administration.

“What this also mean in terms of figures is that Governor Adeleke has paid back N62.31 billion as domestic debt and paid off $13.61million in foreign debt, this is the burden the APC led past administration imposed on the people of the state.

“If this administration didn’t inherit those debt, these said amounts would have been better used for the good people of Osun State.”