By Banji Ayoola
Former Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde, has given the reasons why he resigned his appointment.
He spoke on an Akure radio station, Crest 87.7 FM, few hours after he formally quit the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration.
In his explanations in Yoruba, Abegunde hinged his dissatisfaction with the governor on alleged nepotism, lies and throwing the generality of the people into hunger, while only members of the governor’s family enjoy.
He said: “It is time to leave. We stood by him. It is the Lord Who made him Governor. The Lord sent us to support him. He doesn’t do well.
“He is building roads, renovating schools. No doubt about these. But people are hungry. Welfarism of the people is zero. Among all the governors, I have worked with three governors since I joined politics – Agagu, Mimiko. What made Mimiko saint in performances is that he helped the whole state; he did not allow people to go hungry.
“The whole people are hungry. You are hearing me now. You know that you are hungry. Only, he, his wife, children, in laws and all those who come from Imo state, he gives all the contracts of Ondo state to. That is why all the children of Ondo state suffer.”
Abegunde accused the governor of telling lies that he used to give him N5 million every month.
He said he had gone to the governor on an Easter Monday to resolve perceived differences but that Akeredolu said he did not offend him.
His words: “He said I didn’t offend him. I said, oga if I did not offend you, it means they have cast a spell on you because the way you are behaving now has changed.
“He said you Abena, you are the one they cast spell on. I said if they had cast spell on me and I am telling him what is good like this, I advised him that that is a good spell. I told him that the spell they cast on him is wicked and that is why he is wicked to me and the people in Ondo state and all who work with him.
“I went and reported him to Governor Kayode Fayemi. The worst of it all is that he said he used to give me N5 million every month. That is the worst of it. I don’t know that the governor lies.
“Jaja came here and tell me that Governor Fayemi told him that he told him that he was giving me N5million every month. I called Dr Fayemi. I went to him in Ekiti and told him, Doctor, rescue me o, your child Jaja told me that you said Governor Akeredolu told you that he used to give me N5 million every month. There is nothing like that.
“He also told … who was threatening my life, that he would shoot me, bring gun to my house. I wrote petition to the Inspector General on …
“When I told Dr Fayemi, he said he would call him and me to Abuja to sit down and iron out these issues. I told Dr Fayemi that if he called me to Abuja in Ekiti House, and he sits down, Akeredolu sits down, and Akeredolu says it to my face that he gives me N5 million every month that I would spit fire into his eyes, that fire would come out of his eyes. And thereafter I would come back to Ondo state and resign, and let all the people hear all that have been happening.”
