Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on payroll consultant Sally Tibbot to present any evidence in her possession to anti-graft agencies investigating alleged irregularities in the state’s payroll review process.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Osogbo, the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, said ongoing investigations by relevant authorities should be allowed to run their course without what he described as a media trial.

Rasheed, who was responding to a recent television interview granted by the consultant and her counsel, Jiti Ogunye, in which allegations were made against senior officials of the state government, said the matter had already been referred to anti-corruption agencies, and any additional information should be formally submitted to investigators rather than discussed on broadcast platforms.

He also questioned why the state government had not been given a right of reply during the televised interview.

“The issues raised are currently before the appropriate anti-graft agencies. If there is further evidence beyond the submitted reports, such materials should be handed over to the investigators,” he said.

The statement also addressed repeated references to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Kazeem Akinleye, whose conduct the consultant had criticised in her public comments.

Rasheed maintained that the Chief of Staff acted within his official responsibilities during the payroll audit review, describing his role as that of a gatekeeper who ensured due process was followed.

He stated that the consultant’s firm was engaged in January 2023, shortly after the present administration assumed office, and that the audit report under discussion concerned the payroll inherited from the previous government.

“She acknowledged in her report that thousands of workers were added to the payroll under the past administration.

“The audited payroll reflected the situation as it existed before the current government commenced its review,” Rasheed said.

The spokesperson alleged that the circulation of recorded telephone conversations without authorisation constituted a breach of applicable laws, adding that legal steps were being considered.

Defending the administration’s actions, Rasheed said the governor and his aides had acted to prevent what he described as irregular recommendations that could have adversely affected legitimate workers.

“The Chief of Staff stood firm in defence of due process and the rule of law. The administration remains committed to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” he said.

Reiterating that the investigation was ongoing and urged all parties to cooperate fully with anti-graft agencies, he noted that the government would abide by the outcome of the probe.