PDP, APC Clash Over Aiyedatiwa’s Alleged Handling Of Amotekun Operations

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has criticised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, accusing him of neglecting welfare concerns raised by Amotekun operatives while unveiling new facilities and announcing plans to recruit 500 additional officers.

In a statement on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Wande Ajayi, the PDP said the launch of the Command and Control Centre and a new training auditorium did not address complaints by operatives over unpaid salaries, lack of appointment letters and stalled promotions despite years of service.

The party also alleged that petitions submitted by officers across the state, alongside reports of possible payroll irregularities and suspected ghost workers, had been ignored, even as the governor continued to publicly back the corps commandant.

But the All Progressives Congress dismissed the PDP’s claims, warning that “security must not be politicised” and describing the opposition’s criticism as “a disappointing reflection of how far the PDP is willing to politicise matters of state security.”

The Ondo APC, in a statement by its director of media and publicity, Steve Otaloro, insisted that Governor Aiyedatiwa’s support for Amotekun was driven solely by the need to safeguard residents, adding that the commissioning of new facilities and fresh recruitment were “bold and proactive steps to fortify the state’s security architecture.”

It said concerns relating to welfare, documentation and structural adjustments were already being handled “systematically and transparently,” stressing that strengthening the corps while resolving administrative issues was standard practice in security institutions.

The ruling party maintained that the expansion of Amotekun was necessary for public safety, adding that “security is a collective priority, not a political weapon,” and reaffirmed its backing for the governor and the corps leadership.