By Ade Oyeyemi
Tension is reportedly mounting within the Ondo State Executive Council over the alleged failure to implement a salary increase said to have been approved for political appointees in the state.
The proposed adjustment was reportedly discussed at a meeting of the State Executive Council and approved by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, with the new remuneration expected to take effect from August 2026.
However, sources familiar with the development told Roving that the Commissioner for Finance, Omowunmi Isaac, had yet to implement the decision, prompting concerns among some members of the cabinet.
The sources claimed that some commissioners had confronted the finance commissioner over the alleged delay, questioning why a decision said to have received the governor’s approval had not been implemented.
The development reportedly became a source of unease among political appointees, particularly over claims that their remuneration remains based on an older salary structure.
According to the sources, a commissioner in Ondo currently earns about N399,000 monthly, while commissioners in neighbouring Ekiti State are said to receive approximately N1.2m.
They attributed the disparity to what they described as the continued use of the 2016 remuneration structure for political office holders in Ondo, despite subsequent reviews of salaries and allowances at the federal level.
The sources also cited the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, which is responsible for reviewing remuneration for certain political office holders, and questioned why the alleged adjustments had not been reflected in the state.
One cabinet member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the alleged withholding of some entitlements and running grants had made it difficult for some appointees to effectively perform their duties.
The source said, “Members of the cabinet are seriously lamenting because they are financially incapacitated to function due to the withholding of entitlements and running grants.”
The source further alleged that some appointees had threatened to withdraw their support for activities connected with President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign if what they described as the alleged excesses of the finance commissioner were not addressed.
The allegation comes amid a period of fresh appointments and changes within the Aiyedatiwa administration. The governor recently swore in a new commissioner and other appointees, charging them to work as one administration and deliver measurable results.
Aiyedatiwa had also disclosed that the state’s 2026 budget was reviewed upward from N524.411bn to N769.384bn, with additional funds earmarked for infrastructure and other sectors.
However, the allegations concerning the implementation of the salary increase could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
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The Commissioner for Finance and other relevant officials were not immediately available for comment on the allegations.
The development is expected to attract further attention as members of the state executive continue to press for clarity over the implementation of the reported salary adjustment and other entitlements.
