Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority Chairman, MD Bicker over Procurement

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The Chairman, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORBDA), Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi, has petitioned the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), accusing the Managing Director of the authority, Deji Ashiru, of sidelining him in the 2025 procurement activities.

Odebunmi in the petition titled, “Formal complaint – Lack of Board Chairman’s Involvement in 2025 Procurement Activities of O-ORBDA,” said many procurement activities have been executed without his involvement, due consultation or statutory role as the chairman of the authority.

According to him, since his appointment on December 12, 2024 he has not been carried along in accordance with the provisions of the establishment, framework and gover-nance organogram of the authority, stating that  developments within the authority have grossly deviated from these expectations. 

While highlighting happenings in the authority, Odebunmi disclosed that following the signing of the 2025 Appropriation Act by President Bola Tinubu the implementation process within O-ORBDA commenced without any form of briefing, consent, or approval from his office, insisting that this clearly contradicts the principles of inclusive governance and board oversight as defined in the River Basin Authority structure.

The former lawmaker, who represented Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Federal Constituency in the ninth assembly, lamented that some of the projects embarked upon without his inputs include construction of irrigation project at Bansa, Igbo Ora, Oyo State; establishment of Songhai model farm at Igan Alade, Ogun State and construction of solar street light at various locations in Ogun, Oyo and Lagos State respectively. 

The statement read: “I was not involved in the planning, advertisement, shortlisting, or evaluation of the technical and financial bids for the 2025 capital projects. As the only appointed member of the 

Authority’s Board at this time, my exclusion from these critical procurement stages is not only  inappropriate but also violative of due process and Section 22 of the Public Procurement Act, 

2007.

“The managing director has proceeded to issue contract award letters without seeking my  concurrence or even notifying me of the final approvals. This unilateral action undermines the  principles of institutional accountability and board governance. The authority’s organogram clearly outlines the oversight responsibilities of the Board Chairman.” 

He maintained that as the only appointed governance authority at the board level he finds the actions of the MD to be procedurally flawed and administratively unacceptable for a federal institution guided by the Public Procurement Act and other relevant regulations.

He then urged the BPP to nvestigate the ongoing 2025 procurement activities carried out by O-ORBDA without appropriate governance oversight; review the legality and validity of all contract award letters issued so far by the 

MD  in 2025; issue a directive to suspend further procurement actions pending compliance with proper governance protocols and provide regulatory guidance on interim procurement governance in institutions like  OORBDA where only the Board Chairman has been appointed and inaugurated. 

Odebunmi insisted that it is his duty as Board Chairman to ensure that all activities within the authority conform to due process, uphold transparency, and comply fully with all statutory procurement and administrative frameworks, stating that he is compelled to raise the matter to the BPP for urgent attention and corrective action.

The Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, while acknowledging the petition in a letter addressed to Odebunmi titled, “Re : Complaint on the executive management of Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority’s Infraction on project sum, said the Managing Director has been directed to forward his comments on the issues raised in the petition to the Bureau.