Ondo PDP Blasts Gov Akeredolu, Says He Has Nothing To Show In Three Years

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ondo State Chapter, has described the third anniversary of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in office as “empty promises anniversary.”

The PDP, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Zadok Akintoye, noted that” Akeredolu is allegedly running corrupt government”.

CityMirrorNews recalls that President Muhammad Buhari yesterday commissioned the Ore interchange flyover on the Shagamu-Ore-Benin expressway and the Ondo-Linyi Industrial hub in Ondo state.

The major opposition party in the state, however, expressed displeasure over President Muhammadu Buhari’s endorsement of projects executed by Governor Akeredolu, describing such projects as backing anti-people policies.

The party added that the present administration had commercialized education and health sectors in the state.

PDP said the President should not have endorsed the governor’s projects due to what it described as “corruption” allegedly characterized some of the projects like #5billion Ore flyover.

The statement reads, “It is noteworthy that within the last three years, the education sector of our economy has been so commercialized that hitherto accessible and low cost education has now been priced beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, thus the low enrollment at our state owned higher institutions and the attendant mass withdrawal of brilliant students who had hoped to achieve academic excellence in their own home state.

“It is on record that our state-owned schools have witnessed massive withdrawal of students and low patronage since this government came on board. Education is suffering while this government pretends it cares about the people.

“Our health facilities have also becomes huge revenue generating platforms from already impoverished citizens who should have found solace in government funded social services but have now been told, its either you pay or you leave without coming back.

“Countless cases have been recorded of mothers and babies, who were in the recent past treated freely in our state owned Mother and Child hospitals, being detained due to their inability to pay or afford what should have been considered as basic healthcare.

“The recent signing of another MOU by this government of what it christened, “World Class Medical Village” underscores the disconnect of the Aketi leadership from the reality of impoverishment it has foisted on our people.

“How else can we underscore the elitism of this government except in the recently launched “KamomiAketi” pay as you fetch policy (a first of its kind anti poor initiative) in basic water provision which further ensures that poor citizens are made to pay for access to water. This is a government that promised to provide greater access to water for citizens within the rural areas.

“We have challenged this government to keep to its preelection promises of transparency in public funds administration. As it stands, there is no publicly accessible record of accrued revenue and expenses for Ondo state since Akeredolu came on board (or a published audited account). Government tenders are shrouded in secrecy even amidst major allegations that state funds are being used to service the first family at major costs to fellow citizens.

“Allegations that the Governor’s son is the consultant to the state on revenue collection and that funds belonging to OSOPADEC and Local Governments are being used to fund the First Lady’s pet project have not been addressed till date.

“We would wish that Mr. President General Mohammadu Buhari Rtd GCFR would rise beyond prebendal sentiments and provide leadership to Nigerians in line with his campaign slogan of “No tolerance for corruption”, by ensuring that he is not seen publicly as endorsing actions of present state actors that may soon be proven as criminal complicity to defraud Ondo state and its people by the Rotimi Akeredolu SAN government(we are not unaware that a similar precedent was set in Kano early 2019).

“The criminal action of valuing a less than 100metre bridge in Ore at over 5b Naira calls for great concern considering the myriads of allegations by members of the APC against the governor and his family”.