The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the N73,000 minimum wage announced on Saturday by Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as a Greek gift, warning workers to be cautious.
In a statement on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity of its Campaign Organisation in the State, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, the party said that the announcement made a few days to the November 16 Governorship Election, was a political statement to deceive workers into voting for the governor, and gloss over his alleged nonperformance.
While flagging off his campaign for the election in Ondo City on Saturday on the banner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Aiyedatiwa announced the N73,000 minimum wage for state workers, N3,000 above the Federal Government’s approval.
However, the opposition PDP described the announcement as a hollow pretence to portray the governor as workers-friendly and curry the electorate’s favour. He allegedly has nothing to show for the allocations he has collected since he assumed power.
The statement was titled “Beware of Aiyedatiwa’s Greek Gift.”
It said: “We notice with amusement Governor Aiyedatiwa’s decision to raise the minimum wage in Ondo State from the Federal Government approved ₦70,000 to a paltry ₦73,000. This is obviously a hollow pretense that is calculated to present him as a workers-friendly Governor, an assumption which falls flat on his face when due cognisance is taken of his failure to do this increment many months back. The fact that is just doing this now is a mere pretence.
“In a brazen display of desperation, this marginal wage increment serves as a flimsy attempt to curry favour with the electorate, masking his administration’s colossal failures across every critical sector, it is a move that reeks of calculated deceit, aimed not at alleviating the suffering of the people, but at securing their votes through shallow tokenism.
“A leader who genuinely cares about the welfare of his people would have long since addressed the root causes of Ondo State’s challenges -poverty, unemployment, and the decay of essential services.
“His administration has been defined by neglect, indifference, and a stark lack of empathy for the plight of the common man, rather than champion sustainable development and meaningful progress, he has opted to dangle this meagre wage increase as a political carrot, a last-ditch effort to manipulate and hoodwink the electorate in pursuit of his selfish political survival.
“What makes Aiyedatiwa’s actions particularly wicked is the timing of this so-called wage hike, after months of inertia and complete disregard for the struggles of the workers who keep the state functioning, this insulting small increase is now paraded as an act of benevolence.
“The reality, however, is as clear as day: this cynical strategy is designed not to improve the lives of the hardworking people of Ondo State, but to salvage the political ambitions of a governor who has failed them at every turn.
“While Aiyedatiwa attempts to use this meagre raise as political bait, the grim truth remains unchanged. The state’s healthcare system is in disarray, educational institutions are crumbling, and infrastructure is in a state of collapse, his administration has failed to invest in the future of Ondo State, preferring instead to offer empty promises and engage in grandstanding, all while the people he is supposed to serve continue to bear the brunt of his failures.
“A truly compassionate and visionary leader would have embraced a comprehensive approach, implementing meaningful wage reforms as part of a broader strategy to uplift the living standards of the people.
“But Aiyedatiwa’s wickedness is evident in his blatant disregard for the real issues confronting Ondo State, his selfishness shines through in his refusal to tackle the systemic problems his administration has created, choosing instead to insult the intelligence of the electorate with a meagre ₦3,000 increment, an afterthought that does nothing to alleviate the struggles of the people.
“The people of Ondo State deserve a leader who prioritizes their welfare over personal gain, one who enacts policies driven by genuine concern, not political expediency. Governor Aiyedatiwa has proven himself to be anything but that.
*This ill-timed wage increase is yet another act of deceit from a governor whose leadership has been marked by irresponsibility and a relentless pursuit of self-interest.
“His actions are a stark reminder of his callous and self-serving approach to governance, leaving the people of Ondo State to demand the better leadership they rightfully deserve.
“It is disrespectful to announce the new minimum wage of dignified and decorous Ondo State workers on the podium of the electioneering campaign, thereby politicizing the welfare and well-being of the State Civil Service to gain undue political mileage in the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for November 16.
“However, here is a man who has promised to pay the leave bonus for Ondo State workers for the past two months but to no avail. Some people might argue that a leave bonus is not the exclusive right of Civil Servants, but integrity matters in everything we do in this life.
“As a governor, if you know you won’t do something, don’t promise it!
“The teeming Civil Servants in Ondo State see this latest promise about a new minimum wage increment as another Greek gift to hoodwink unsuspecting members of Ondo State civil service into voting for him.
“The timing is ill-conceived, and nobody is going to take him seriously because he has deceived the civil service once, and they won’t allow him to deceive them one more time – Once bitten, twice shy!”.
Aiyedatiwa flags off campaign, announces N73,000 minimum wage
PDP commends Ondo assembly for rejecting Aiyedatiwa’s N487.437b supplementary budget
