...PDP is busy body, we're not distracted - Aiyedatiwa's campaign office
Governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party Chief Agboola Ajayi and the party in the state, have described the appointment of 349 political aides by governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November 16 election as a sign of been jittery of losing the election.
Recall that governor Aiyedatiwa had last week approved the appointment of new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs).
A statement signed by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the appointment was in
continuation of efforts to enhance governance and service delivery to the people of the State.
The new appointments, according to Adeniyan, are spread across the 18 Local Government Areas, 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 203 Wards in the State.
But in a swift response, the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Agboola Ajayi, said that it "is a ridiculous action of a governor who is at sea over choices to make for the advancement of our State, confused largely over what should extend the frontiers of our development but chose to prosecute petty partisanship desires at the expense of good governance, thus again confirming his unsuitability for the governorship seat he currently occupies, which he consistently uses to retard our quest for economic and societal growth.
Ajayi, spoke through the spokesperson for his campaign Organisation, Ayo Fadaka, said "To appoint three hundred and forty-four aides, with no specific governmental responsibilities and defined functions is criminal, particularly when due cognizance is taken of the fact that their renumeration per month is going to cost government about N1.2billion.
"In fact, their number and resources to be expended on them is enough to begin a new Ministry!
"We declare that it is ridiculous and wrong for Lucky Aiyedatiwa to appoint APC Ward Canvassers as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, Ondo State has never been this unlucky!
Fadaka added that "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.
Also, the People's Democratic Party, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Leye Igbabo, kicked against the last minute appointments.
Igbabo said in a statement that " ln these times when every sensible government is trying to bring down the humongous cost of governance, only a clueless governor can contemplate such a drain pipe on taxpayers funds.
" 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.
According to him " it is lamentable that the governor cannot, in good conscience, clearly point to any tangible projects he has executed with the over one hundred billion naira that has entered Ondo State under his watch in the last eight months, through federal allocations, palliatives and other bailouts.
"The capital city of Akure has become a purifying 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.
"A government which gave paucity of fund as lame excuse for non-performance can mindlessly chose to waste the tax payers' money on such mass appointments just to realize an importunate personal ambition that has even become a stillbirth before the delivery date.
"We are nonetheless, amused because it has become apparent that the governor is so frightened of his impending failure at the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election, thus making frantic yet fruitless efforts to save the day by doling out frivolous appointments to every Tom, Dick and Harry.
"It is however too late to avert the unavoidable defeat at the poll because the people had already known that the governor is not made of the sterner stuff needed at a critical time like this, to redirect the State from the path of perdition and ignominy to which is currently being driven, due to his ineptitude occasioned by his clear unpreparedness to assume the mantle of leadership at such level and at such a time.
"These last minute appointments are conceived to hoodwink the appointees who have become disillusioned with a colourless and directionless State ship. It is clearly intended to chain them to a sinking boat. They are, indeed the last kicks of a dying horse.
"Our party counsels that the earlier the governor comes to terms with the reality of his imminent defeat in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, the better for his psychological and emotional stability after the election, because the masses have now become wiser knowing fully well, the consequences of going for the highest bidder in any elections.
"Their bitter experiences in the hands of APC and the hard lessons learnt from the deceit and propaganda employed in taking over the government, will surely be displayed against the governor at the November 16, gubernatorial election.
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But reacting to the attacks, the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC), its states Director of information, Kayode Fasua, said that governor "Aiyedatiwa wants to keep an easy tap on needs by all the communities in Ondo State.
" His administration is radically different for the fact that he wants you, in the comfort of your room, to feel the impact of government.
"All the beneficiaries of the latest political appointments are ambassadors of their respective communities, at the Alagbaka Government House, and are under State Charge to bring the immediate, inter-mediate and long-term needs of their people to the attention of Mr Governor, who will in tow, table all before the State Executive Council for solution.
"The state's PDP seems determined to hijack power and take Ondo State back to the Stone Age where the Lord of the Manor decides, in dictatorship, what is appropriate for all.
"As for achievements in office, the governor has exceeded expectations in re-mobilising contractors back to site and has been executing fresh projects, for which several commendations have been received by the administration.
"Governor Aiyedatiwa is not distracted as he is available to work for all, including the ambition-hunting members of the opposition parties.
