The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Ondo State Concerned Timber Merchants (OSCTIM) have flayed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu over what they called the deteriorating state of governance in Ondo state.
While OSCTIM raised the alarm over alleged clandestine plot by the state government to hand over forest reserves to a consultancy firm, the PDP said since Akeredolu assumed office in 2017, governance in state has taken a nosedive.
According to OSCTIM, the consultancy firm has been allegedly linked to the governor’s son, Babajide Akeredolu.
The group, in a statement signed by its state co-ordinator, Alhaji Olawole Idris, alleged that Akeredolu’s, family was on a mission to siphon all resources of the state and that the governor’s son had been using one Ilesanmi Ademola as frontman for the shady deal.
OSCTIM revealed that the state government intentionally placed a ban on all activities in the forests to enable it to perfect all documents before the new consultancy company begins operations.
“Why has the government not opened the forest that have been closed for the past two years ago now?
The timber merchants raised alarm over various conditions put up by government for the timber dealers to fulfill.
The Ondo state government in response, has also noted that it is a grand plot to blackmail Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, his immediate family and the state government.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the planned smear campaign was targeted at the governor’s family with fabricated details and spurious allegations.
In a statement, he said “It has come to our notice that some unscrupulous individuals have perfected plans to blackmail the Akeredolu administration, using the first family as a target of their smear campaign.
“The plan, which was hatched and orchestrated by these individuals, particularly targeted the governor’s son, Babajide Akeredolu, on allegations of high handedness and interference with government decisions, especially as it relates to the economic activities at the government forest reserves.
“Succinctly, the purveyors of this heinous plot have perfected plans to lie against the governor and his son of attempting to take over the management of the forest reserves so as to corner the resources for personal gains.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Akeredolu handles the business of government with utmost respect and accountability. The government decision to ban all logging activities and subsequent lifting of the ban, are all in the interest of the state.”
Ojogo urged members of the public to disregard the lies being peddled around by bad losers whose aim was to distract the governor and government of the state.
In another statement, the publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Kennedy Ikantu Peretei said since Akeredolu’s assumption of office as governor on 24th February, 2017, governance has been on a steady negative slide.
“That leaders of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) were the first victims of his high handedness, which became manifest in the sheer number of persons who sought to replace him when he indicated interest to run for a second term. That is a matter for another day.”
He added that the free school shuttle buses that parents and students enjoyed for more than six years under the previous administration suddenly disappeared from the streets under Akeredolu.
“There are unconfirmed reports that some of these buses have been sighted in Lagos and Owerri (only God knows what the buses are doing in those places).
“Mother and Child Hospitals that provided free medical services to pregnant women and children below the age of five have all turned out to be mere consulting clinics, as more than 150 medical doctors pulled out of the state’s employment due to poor conditions of service. The woes that have accompanied Akeredolu’s misrule are endless and the people are suffocating daily.
“Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo has become a ghost of its former self, since the coming of Rotimi Akeredolu. Incidentally, the Governor hails from the ancient town too. Why he allowed this level of ruin in the only government owned tertiary institution in his birth place beats one’s imagination.
“The Polytechnic’s Staff School that had operated for more than 25 years was closed down for no good reason. The staff and students were left in the cold. The Governor’s friends and allies amongst the staff were absorbed in the already over staffed Polytechnic’s nominal roll.
“Subventions to the school have been on the decline while the school is being loaded with new staff from Akeredolu and his aides. Workers have not been promoted in the last three years. Even jobs that are awarded by TETFUND are hijacked by Governor’s cronies. The entire place has been reduced to something near hell.”
The PDP, however, noted that Governor Akeredolu should not ruin everything that he met in Ondo state, as history would be very unkind to him if he continued on this lane.
