The opposition parties have condemned a recent move by the governor of Ondo State and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for appointing 344 new aides.
The parties described the move as “insensitive” and “misguided,” considering the current economic challenges facing the people of the state.
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated that the recent controversial appointments by the state governor were a waste of taxpayers’ money to realize his personal political ambition.
This is just as the PDP candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Agboola Ajayi, said the appointments of 344 aides by the governor with no specific governmental responsibilities, confirmed his unsuitability for the governorship seat he currently occupies.
Ajayi, in a statement signed by his Spokesperson, Ayo Fadaka, said appointing a retinue of aides will continue to deplete the resources of the state, saying the appointments are actually frivolous.
According to him, to appoint 344 aides, with no specific governmental responsibilities and defined functions is criminal, particularly when due cognisance is taken of the fact that their remuneration per month is going to cost the government about N1.2 billion.
“In fact, their number and resources to be expended on them is enough to begin a new Ministry”
He noted that the appointment of the new aides is purely a political move to canvass votes ahead of the November elections, and also to intimidate political opponents at the polling units.
He said “We declare that it is ridiculous and wrong for Lucky Aiyedatiwa to appoint APC Ward Canvesers as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, Ondo State has never been this unlucky
“We however, assure him and his party that this trick will not work, the people of Ondo State have since rejected him and his Party of hardship, pains and hunger, APC, they are merely waiting for Nov 16th to firmly stamp it at the polls, therefore will bear with equanimity and strength everyone of their misdeeds and punish them accordingly at the polls.
“We remain at alert and advise Aiyedatiwa to abandon his desire to implement the Kogi rigging model here, as it will be firmly resisted, and backfire on him and his accomplices with deep consequences. The PDP, and in fact, the people of Ondo State are keenly watching every step they are taking.
“We state that if an assemblage of massive SSAs and SAs didn’t work in the past, it is not going to work now, our only regret however is that Ondo State is currently in the grip of the incompetents who cannot decipher the limits to which officialdom cannot pushed”
Meanwhile, the party in the state, described the appointments of the 28 Senior Special Assistants and 316 Special Assistants without portfolios by Aiyedatiwa as clueless moves to drain pipe of taxpayers funds.
The PDP Director of Media and Publicity in the state, Leye Igbagbo, said the appointments was ill timed especially when state governments across the country are trying to bring down the humongous cost of governance.
Igbagbo said “It is indeed, tragic that governance in our own Sunshine State which used to be a reference point and a benchmark for innovative governance could be brought to this disgusting level and abrupt halt, such that nothing is moving in any positive direction again.
“It is lamentable that the governor cannot, in good conscience, clearly point to any tangible projects he has executed with the over N100b that has entered Ondo State under his watch in the last eight months, through federal allocations, palliatives and other bailouts”
According to him, “the capital city of Akure has become a putrifying dumping site where horrible odour oozes out with imminent breakout of epidemic. Unfortunately, the health facilities are just non-existent to take care of any such incidents.
“Majority of the roads awarded by the government had been recklessly abandoned leaving the residents of the affected areas in nightmares, severe anguish and avoidable trauma that is hard to fathom.
Aiyedatiwa “insensitive”, “misguided”
he candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, Hon. Gbenga Edema, on Sunday lambasted governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over the appointments. Edema who described the latest move by governor Aiyedatiwa as “insensitive” and “misguided,” considering the current economic challenges facing the people of the state.
Speaking through his Spokesperson, Oluwatosin Ayeni, in a statement, Edema stated that the timing of the appointments, some few months to the governorship election in the state calls for concern.
According to Edema, the ill timed appointments and actions of the governor were part of his strategies tosecure political loyalty rather than genuinely addressing the needs of the people of the state.
He emphasised the financial implications of such appointments, funded by the state’s coffers, are troubling in light of the prevailing economic hardship.
He said: “If Aiyedatiwa is suggesting that he has appointed campaign coordinators under the guise of SAs and SSAs, it reveals a high degree of insensitivity.
“At a time when the people are grappling with financial difficulties, such appointments represent a gross misdirection of government priorities.
“Assuming each of the newly appointed aides earns an estimated monthly salary of N300,000, imagine the positive changes that would have done in our communities if those resources were invested in education, healthcare, or infrastructure instead of being spent on positions that will add zero value to governance and the lives of our people.
“With the arguments that government spending should be curtailed, yet Aiyedatiwa continues to plunder and waste the resources of the state.”
TheWitness