The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made serious allegations against the former chairmen of the 18 local government areas in the state. According to the opposition party, the former chairmen are purportedly still receiving salaries despite the expiration of their tenures. Furthermore, the PDP claims that the immediate-past chairmen have refused to hand over to the most senior council officials in their respective councils after their tenure ended in August.
In a statement released by the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kennedy Peretei, on Thursday, the party highlighted this concerning development. Peretei emphasized that the situation has arisen due to the absence of the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, who is reportedly recuperating in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the opposition party’s statement,
“The multidimensional consequences of the absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State from his duty post, due to ill health, once again, have come to the fore. The former local government chairmen, whose three-year tenure ended in August this year, are still drawing salaries from the state treasury.
“The ugly development is simply because no new political helmsmen have been appointed by the governor who has been battling with his health and there is no agreement between warring factions of the government as to how to fill these sensitive vacancies.
“The former council bosses also refused to hand over their official vehicles despite the dissolution of the councils by Lucky Aiyedatiwa during his tenure as acting governor. The impunity orchestrated by Akeredolu and his collaborators on the people of Ondo State is unprecedented.”
The opposition party lamented the state’s absence at President Bola Tinubu’s meeting with the National Police Council in Abuja, which all governors or their deputies attended on Tuesday, stating that “neither has the state had any representation at the regular National Economic Council meetings in Abuja since Akeredolu fell ill.”
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“The PDP, Ondo State chapter, once again reiterates that the plan of Akeredolu’s handlers to profit from this sorry state of affairs and completely run the state aground will be resisted by all lawful means,” the statement declared.
See full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
FORMER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMEN IN ONDO STATE STILL DRAW SALARIES AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR TENURES
The multidimensional consequences of the absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on his duty post, due to ill-health, once again has come to the fore.
Local Government Chairmen whose three year tenure ended since August this year are still drawing salaries from the state treasury.
The ugly development is simply because, no new political helmsmen have been appointed by the Governor who has been battling with his health and there is no agreement between warring factions of the government as to how to fill these sensitive vacancies.
The former Council bosses refused to hand over their official vehicles in spite of the dissolution of the Councils by Lucky Aiyedatiwa during his tenure as Acting Governor.
The impunity orchestrated by Akeredolu and his collaborators on the people of Ondo State is unprecedented.
In Akure South Local Government Area, the Rate Officers, remit Internally Generated Revenue of the Local Government to the former Chairman who still carries on with all the paraphernalia of his office, apart from resuming in his office.
On Tuesday, 31st October, 2023, President Bola Tinubu held a meeting of National Police Council, in Abuja where all Governors or their Deputies attended. Ondo State, was conspicuously absent. Neither has the state had any representation at the regular National Economic Council meetings in Abuja since Akeredolu fell ill.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter, once again reiterates that, the plan of Akeredolu’s handlers to profit from this sorry state of affairs and completely run the state aground will be resisted by all lawful means.
Kennedy Ikantu Peretei
State Publicity Secretary, PDP, Ondo State.
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In response, the former local government chairmen, who were affiliated with the All Progressives Congress, refuted the allegation, labeling it as a baseless fabrication.
Addressing the issue on behalf of the former chairmen, Mr Augustine Oloruntogbe, the immediate-past chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Ondo State, asserted that none of the members had any financial involvement in their respective councils after their tenure had ended.
Oloruntogbe, who was a former Chairman of the Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state, said,
“The PDP in Ondo State has been spreading falsehood against us, saying that we, the former chairmen, are still collecting salaries from our various local governments.
“We are here to deny the allegation vehemently and to tell the whole world that it is a lie from the pit of hell.
“Since we left the local government, we have never received a dime from our local government. Even when I was appointed as one of the panel members to chair the palliatives, I had to send a representative since I was no longer in the local government.
“We haven’t had any financial relationships with our local governments since we left. We left on August 30, 2023.”
Echoing his counterpart’s sentiments, a former chairman of the Idanre Local Council, Prince Kayode Aroloye, affirmed that none of their colleagues had engaged in such conduct, demanding that the PDP withdraw the accusation or be prepared to face legal repercussions.
“We have not been collecting salaries. We are, therefore, instructing that the allegation by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ondo State, Kennedy Peretei, should be immediately withdrawn and an apology given within the next 24 hours, otherwise he will hear from our lawyers.
“We are men and women of integrity. Some of us built our names over the years before we entered politics. We will not allow our names to be rubbed in the mud under the guise of playing politics. We won’t accept this. If they have been doing it, we won’t allow this to go unchallenged,” Aroloye stressed
See full response below:
RE: FORMER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMEN IN ONDO STATE STILL DRAW SALARIES AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR TENURES.
Our attention has been drawn to a spurious and baseless allegation signed by one Peretei Ikantu, the publicity Secretary of PDP; that former local government Chairmen in the Eighteen councils are still drawing salaries from the state treasury.
The report is not only malicious, but outright falsehood and futile attempt to soil the image of the local government chairmen by our opposition(PDP).
We want to assure the good people of Ondo state that all the former LG chairmen had since submitted their handover notes to the various HEAD OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION who have been holding forth in all the 18 LG since 30th of August 2023,
And we want to use this opportunity to thank Mr Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, for putting up democratic structure in all the local govts which allows us to serve our people at grassroot level.
The author does not provide a shred of evidence to support his baseless allegation. We could have ignored his jaundiced report , but we have a duty to provide the fact so that the good people of Ondo state are not misled by the blatant misinformation.
The fake news by Petetei Ikantu is completely false and makes no sense. It is mere fake news that only satisfies his mischief and the selfish interest of opposition party, PDP.
We also reiterate that Mr Petetei Ikantu should withdraw the libellous publication with public apology within 24 hours ,faliure which we will recourse to legal remedy.
Signed
Hon. Augustine Oloruntogbe
Erstwhile Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON.
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