- Bill a hasty attempt to shield Akeredolu’s family from investigation – PDP
- PDP needs help to be off ignorance radar – Govt
Ondo State Government and the state’s chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are trading tackles over the anti-corruption bill before the state’s House of Assembly for passage into law.
While the PDP described the bill as a hasty attempt by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN to shield his family from investigation, government said the attack exposed the laughable ignorance and warped imagination of a grossly deficient opposition.
In a statement by its state spokesman, Mr Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, titled “Ondo State anti-corruption bill: An attempt by Akeredolu to shield his family from investigation,” the party alleged: “The Ondo State House of Assembly under the incompetent and rudderless leadership of Rt. Honourable David Oloyelogun has perfected plans to hurriedly pass the Ondo State Anti-corruption bill forwarded to the State Assembly on 23rd December, 2021. Barring any last minute intervention, the bill will be passed into law this week.
“The bill tagged ” A Bill for a law to establish the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-corruption Commission and others connected thereto 2021″ was carefully crafted to give sweeping exclusive powers to the Agency in matters of corruption in the State.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter is in full support of institutional framework to stamp out corruption in the State, if only the intentions are genuine and transparently honest. The Rotimi Akeredolu government has in several ways demonstrated that, it is irredeemably soaked in the sea of corruption, especially his family. He can therefore, not go behind the door to institute laws as subterfuge for his activities to circumvent the law.
“Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the proposed law states inter alia “The Commission shall upon the commencement of this law, take over the investigation of all Anti-corruption and Financial crimes cases involving the finances and assets of Ondo State government being ;investigated by any other agency”. Section 14(4) states; “the agency shall cause an investigation to be conducted into the properties of any public servant (s) within the jurisdiction of the state; if it appears to the Commission that the person’s life style and extent of the properties are not justified by the person’s legitimate source of income”.
“The powers given to the Attorney General of the state to regulate the operations of the Commission, if the bill is passed all point to a subtle legal cover to do more unthinkable damage to the treasury of the state.
“Given the antecedents of David Oloyelogun and the Ondo State 9th Assembly, there is nothing to expect other than a speedy passage of this bill. But we owe it a duty to inform the Ondo State people of this new move to provide cover for criminality.”
Government fired back swiftly in a statement titled: “Ondo PDP Needs Help To Be Off The Radar Of Ignorance … Anti-corruption Law meant to serve the people and the State,” and signed by the Information and Orientation Commissioner, Mr Donald Ojogo, saying: “The recent pedestrian opposition tactic of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State requires proper enlightenment. The party’s latest attack on the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration has exposed its ignorance.
“Specifically, the PDP’s claim that the Anti-corruption Law as passed by the State Assembly is to allegedly protect the Governor and his family from wrongdoings is not only preposterous but laughable.
“The Bill to establish the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-corruption Commission and Other Matters Connected Thereto 2021, as passed by the State Assembly, was deliberated upon at the level of the State Executive Council severally and subjected to wider consultations before it was transmitted to the State Assembly for necessary action.
“The Anti-Corruption Law will serve the purpose of the State, rather than the warped imagination of the grossly deficient opposition.
“Those who started the formulation of the Law had in mind to decentralize the anti-corruption fight to the federating units of the Nigerian Federation. It suffices therefore, that, the rush to disseminate falsehood appears more important to the opposition PDP than the need for a TRULY FEDERAL NIGERIA.
“For the records, the Law has been in existence in Kano State since 2008. Lagos State followed suit by passing the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Bill into Law. Aside Lagos in the Southwest, the Law is in operation in Ogun and Oyo States. Interestingly, Oyo is a PDP governed State. Undoubtedly, Ondo PDP needs help.
“More importantly, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgement delivered on December 20, 2021 in the case of Dr Joseph Nwobike, SAN vs Federal Republic of Nigeria has ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be construed within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the percusor to the establishment of the EFCC – to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria.
“The matter centers on one of the issues of our true federalism. It interrogates the rationale behind a federal agency exercising oversight powers on States under the guise of financial crimes, when each state has its Penal and Criminal Codes dealing with such offences.
“The PDP in Ondo State, as usual, failed to do its findings, but hurriedly amplified falsehood and spurious gists to members of the public. While we agree that it is their stock in trade, it is important that this clarification be made in the overall interest of members of the public.
“We will continue to do what is best for the people and the state not withstanding the needless and fabricated allegations that are being fed members of the public by the drowning PDP.”
Also, Akeredolu’s party, the APC urged the governor to ignore what it perceived as orchestrated distractions aimed at promoting the chances of an incompetent and rudderless opposition party ahead of future elections.
In fact, it calls on the “performing administration to pay deaf ears to the orchestrated distractions by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, and remain focused on his laudable plans for our people.”
In a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaye, titled “Ignore PDP frivolous allegations; focus on your programmes, Ondo APC urges Akeredolu,” the party said: “It is impossible to achieve great goals if one caves into the temptation of throwing stones at any barking dog on his path to making history. Distractions must be ignored, and focus on the set goals sustained.
“It is on this note that the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ondo State calls on the performing administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to pay deaf ears to the orchestrated distractions by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, and remain focused on his laudable plans for our people.
“The whole duty of a rudderless opposition party, particularly one that swims against the tide, is to attack and fault any policy of a ruling party, irrespective its altruistic values. The attacker does so, not in the interest of the people, but to promote the chances of the opposition party ahead of future elections.
“The Akeredolu led government has become a reference point in the comity of states. The achievements in the area of security and infrastructure are unbeatable across the land. Ondo Amotekun is arguably the most effective in geopolitical zone.
“The Ondo State chapter holds that a government that invests massively in the security of lives and property has fared better than the one that builds skyscrapers in every street, leaving its people at the mercy of criminal elements.
“Ondo APC views as incongruous that a party which had no solution to the endless carnage and disruption of free flow of traffic in the ever busy Ore for eight years, would have no shame in digging for faults in the highly celebrated interchange constructed on the Sagamu/Benin Road, in less than three years by this administration.
“We are also miffed that a party which had no regards for welfare of workers in Ondo State and left the state’s economy in disarray, would have no inhibition in condemning the APC government that is so passionate about the welfare of the people.
“The party wishes to appreciate the pragmatic approaches of the Akeredolu-led administration in tackling the inherited terribly battered infrastructures, shoring up the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and resolving issues of concern to all.
“Ondo APC is elated over the conception and commissioning of the state’s office of the Home Ownership Charter in Akure by the ever soaring Arakunrin. It is a nondiscriminatory development that will benefit every property owner in the Sunshine State.
“We further encourage the government to pursue with more vigour the establishment of more industries and the deep sea port in Ondo State. We have no doubts that attention on the health sector, education and agriculture would not wane.
“While the PDP and its agents are busy seeking relevance by striving to distract the noble plans of this administration, we urge Mr. Governor to remain steadfast and focus on his commitment to the physical and economic development of our dear State.”
