- Challenges PDP to publish details of companies linked to Governor’s family, report to EFCC
- Akeredolu’s family on looting spree – PDP
Ondo State Government has debunked the alleged looting of the state by the family of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as it challenged the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to publish the details of the 13 companies it claimed were registered by the Governor’s family in 2017 including names of their directors and the companies.
Besides, it asked the party to report the N500 million allegedly spent by the state’s Ministry of Information and Orientation on the Countdown Show last year to herald the New Year.
The reaction was in response to allegations of financial recklessness and looting among others which the PDP had leveled against the family of the Governor.
In its response titled “Ondo Govt to PDP: Juvenile Opposition, Pedestrian Talks Expose Your Emptiness … Publish details of companies linked to Governor’s family and report to EFCC funds spent on Countdown Show,” in a statement by the Information and Orientation Commissioner, Mr Donald Ojogo, government said: “While it is clear that the insidious naked dance of the PDP manifests the height of idleness and political depression, the party’s persistence in the display of uncanny posture on the path of unbelievable lies calls to question whether or not PDP respects the Ondo State public at all. No serious public takes such beer parlour talks seriously.”
It said: “This response in respect of the PDP’s latest misadventure mistaken for opposition is not to glorify the rudderless camp; it is to counsel the seemingly disorganised ilk and for the sake of general public at the mercy of PDP’s disingenuous misinformation.
“Their assertions in respect of 13 companies they claimed were registered by the Governor’s family in 2017 without evidence exposes the juveline and pedestrian composure of the PDP. It is sheer waste of precious media space to assert without evidence to prove. We challenge PDP to publish the names of the Directors of those companies as well as the names of those companies.
“On the alleged expenditure of N500,000,000(Five Hundred Million Naira) by the Ondo State Ministry of Information on the Countdown Show to herald 2022, it’s not just laughable but presents the PDP as most unserious. The inconsistency in their lies is legendary as their first release had indicated N200,000,000 in respect of same subject. The public deserves to know more. Therefore, PDP must hurry to report this to the EFCC for investigation.
“While it is clear that the insidious naked dance of the PDP manifests the height of idleness and political depression, the party’s persistence in the display of uncanny posture on the path of unbelievable lies calls to question whether or not PDP respects the Ondo State public at all. No serious public takes such beer parlour talks seriously.”
Earlier, a reliable source contacted for response to PDP’s allegations had told The Radiance: “I will not give credence with a response to all these concocted tales by the PDP. They’re all tissues of lies.”
The PDP had on January 2, in a statement titled “Akeredolu’s misrule in Ondo State (10): Family on looting spree,” by its spokesman in the state, Mr Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, leveled some allegations against the state’s first family.
It had alleged: “Every passing day in Ondo state, one is confronted with the reality that, there is a very slim possibility of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State and his All Progressives Congress to completely serve out his remaining tenure. This speculation is fueled by the financial recklessness, brazen lack of respect for rules by Akeredolu’s wife Betty, his son, Babajide and lately his daughter, Teniola and her husband Michael Olatunde.
“Immediately Akeredolu was sworn in as Governor of Ondo State in 2017, he registered about thirteen companies. These companies have been shamelessly used by the first family to receive contracts from state ministries and departments. Checks from the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, showed that all the companies have the same or related Directors and Secretary. When contractors in the state hardly get paid for jobs, those awarded to the first family get prompt payment and to rob salt on injury, they and some of their cronies brag about it.
“A few months ago, the Ondo State government placed embargo on all forestry activities. This was done so as to hand over all forest operations to Babajide Akeredolu. When the operations were restored, a new sherif was already in town. One Ilesanmi Brainbox was mandated to collect a handsome sum of five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000.00) from the operators everyday and paid directly to Babajide’s bank account. Even if Ondo State was a territory conquered by Akeredolu, he should have acted with some modicum of decency.
“The widely advertised and celebrated Sunshine Countdown Concert was anchored by Micheal Olatunde, Akeredolu’s son-in law. The Ondo State Ministry of Information parted with a whooping five hundred million Naira (N500,000,000.00) of taxpayers money. There was no committee set up for the event, no State Executive Council approval was gotten for it. Just hurriedly put together to patronise Teniola, Akeredolu’s daughter. Everywhere you look in the state, what you find is Akeredolu, his wife, children and their spouses as though on rampage, looting blindly.
“The world of grandeur and opulence in which these people live is in direct contrast with the lives of the people of the state. Retired workers of the state owned Owena Press Limited, publishers of Hope Newspaper, had recently in an emotional letter addressed to the Governor over the weekend, appealed for the payment of their gratuity. In the words of former Editor of The Hope, Dr. Banji Ayoola, “I can tell you that six of our members including a former Head of features desk, two photographers, a gateman, and two drivers have died of sicknesses that could be easily treated if money had been available, while some are bed ridden and unable to help themselves. Notably, six of the company’s 37 former staff have died without their gratuity”.
“Around the same time, workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo took to the streets, protesting 13 months of unpaid salaries. The workers lamented that, while they were hungry, Akeredolu and his cronies were erecting new buildings in Owo, right before their eyes. In the same South West Nigeria, Oyo State Workers got thirteenth month pay in the month of December. The explanations of lean resources of the state can no longer suffice.
“Mrs Betty Akeredolu, on her part has ensured that, no board is constituted for the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC). All the BEMORE and FOWOSO projects are fully funded by OSOPADEC. Short of directly signing cheques, Betty is the Alpha and Omega of OSOPADEC. The Commission has not executed a single project since the inception of the Akeredolu tenure. While the eighteen local government areas of Ondo State contributed eighteen million Naira for 3rd FOWOSO Summit last month, OSOPADEC paid Betty more than fifty million Naira for the Summit. Only a heartless person can undertake this kind of blind looting in the face of penury that is everywhere. The greed displayed by the first family and their cohorts is only reminiscent of Ali Baba and the forty thieves, a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights, added to the collection in the 18th Century by French Translator Antoine Galland.
“It is difficult to assume that all these looting is going on without Akeredolu’s permission or knowledge. Whichever way, if this continues, the people will chase him and his family out of the Government House very soon.”
