By Kennedy Peretei
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (1): THE ROT IN RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHNIC,OWO*.
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo has become a ghost of its former self, since the coming of Rotimi Akeredolu. Incidentally, the Governor hails from the ancient town too. Why he allowed this level of ruin in the only government owned tertiary institution in his birth place beats one’s imagination.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (2): GOVERNMENT OF THE FATHER, THE WIFE AND THE SON*.
Last year, Babajide pocketed a princely N433m as Consultancy fee on N4.3b on the “secret account” with Zenith Bank for more than ten years. Up till this moment, the Ondo State Government under Akeredolu has neither accounted for the money, nor the ten years accrued interest. Rather, it was Babajide who addressed a press conference, referring to Ondo State House of Assembly members as ” making un-necessary noise” over money he discovered. Babajide’s conduct is reminiscent of the ignoble actions of Commodus, son and heir apparent of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who at age 12, upon finding out that his bath water was not sufficiently heated, ordered the servant to be thrown into the furnace.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (3): THE ROT IN THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE*.
The major bone of contention is the conditions of service, which the lawyers refer to as deplorable and inhuman. Dressing allowances have not been paid since Akeredolu entered the saddle. No official vehicles to convey lawyers to Courts in discharge of their duties. No office spaces, and the Library is not equipped at all. The last time books were bought was under the PDP administration of Dr. Olusegun Agagu. No toilets and other facilities that can make the lawyers feel that, they work for a responsible government. Almost everything is totally grounded. All these demands were made public when the lawyers adorned the toga of “aluta” to get Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who himself is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to do something meaningful to improve the conditions of these civil servants. But, as it has turned out, the lawyers were merely talking to themselves, not the Governor.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (4): DETERMINED TO RUIN TERTIARY EDUCATION*.
In the last four years, education, especially tertiary education has gradually gotten out of the reach of the ordinary citizens of Ondo State, no thanks, to Governor Akeredolu, who cares about nothing as long as the palm wine tapper delivers fresh palm wine to him daily at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (5): WORKERS MAY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT PAY*.
For more than one year now, workers in Ondo State receive percentage salaries. It could be as ridiculous as 30% of their monthly salary. At the last count, only June 2021 salaries have been paid in full. That means, six months salaries are still outstanding. This is in spite of the N18.2 Billion received in tranches as bail out from the Federal Government.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (6): MOVES TO BUY UP ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT VEHICLES THROUGH PROXY*.
Through a circular of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, with Ref number CMG 8741/28 dated 17th November, 2021, the Governor approved the purchase of all unserviceable and obsolete assets in all the 18 Local government Areas by a faceless company that is acting as an agent for him.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (7): IT IS SHAMELESS TO RECEIVE AWARD FROM A UNIVERSITY, WHEN YOURS ARE UNDER LOCK AND KEY*.
It beats common sense and logical reasoning for a Governor whose sing song is paucity of funds to mobilise almost everybody in the political circle of Ondo State to Oyo for an award. The Legislative Arm of the government was led by the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. David Oloyelogun, a man being tried for fraud by the EFCC, and a good number of the Assembly men. The Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, led other members of the State Executive Council to the ceremony. Akeredolu’s sister-in-law, Alero Akeredolu coordinated members of the bench to the event. Local Government Chairmen, Traditional Rulers, the entire All Progressives Congress (APC) State Executive Committee under the leadership of Engr. Ade Adetimehin all went to Oyo, to mark the Akeredolu Award Register.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (8): SHUNS CONVOCATION CEREMONY AT HOME*
The AAUA convocation ceremony may have witnessed some drama, if Akeredolu had surmoned courage to attend. But he opted for the cowardly route by escaping to Ile-Ife. Whichever way, a man who drinks to drown his sorrows, will return to sanity to find out that, the problems are still there. Any time Mr. Governor returns to Ondo State, he will face the reality that the Universities he is Visitor to, are still closed.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (9): PUTS SON ON COLLISION COURSE WITH THE LAW*.
Criticisms trailed the nomination and appointment of Babajide by his father as DG PPIMU in service of the state. Apart from some almajiri political appointees of the Governor, nobody in his right sense applauded the appointment. It must be noted that Akeredolu made history on the wrong side by being the first governor to appoint his son to a powerful position that is not recognised by law. In total defiance of the uproar that accompanied this abuse of office, Akeredolu has gone ahead to swear in his son.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE(10): FAMILY ON LOOTING SPREE*
Immediately Akeredolu was sworn in as Governor of Ondo State in 2017, he registered about thirteen companies. These companies have been shamelessly used by the first family to receive contracts from state ministries and departments. Checks from the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, showed that all the companies have the same or related Directors and Secretary. When contractors in the state hardly get paid for jobs, those awarded to the first family get prompt payment and to rob salt on injury, they and some of their cronies brag about it.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (11):FOR THE RECORD ONLY*
Today, l serve only the first course of documentary evidence, independent, authorised search from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) portal, so that, the doubting Thomases can come to terms with the fact that, indeed, Ondo State is under siege with Akeredolu and his family.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (12): TRUE CONFESSION OF A THIEF*
Anybody who read the response of Mr. Babajide Akeredolu, son of Governor of Ondo State, to the allegations of his numerous companies used in syphoning funds from the government will at once recognise that, the young man has no business with public office. His poorly written and disjointed statement which came three clear days after the company details were made public, if anything was a confirmation of the allegations leveled against him. At least, he acknowledged ownership of five of the companies.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (13): PROCURES N1.5B BULLET PROOF JEEPS FOR OFFICIAL USE*
While Ondo State workers celebrated Christmas and New year in unprecedented hardship, occasioned by the non payment of their salaries, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, Governor of the State *has just* bought two bullet proof Lexus 670 LXE jeeps with six doors valued at N750M each for his personal comfort and self aggrandisement.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (14): SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO MAKE SON APPROVING AUTHORITY TO ALL MDAS*
*All MDAs of Ondo State Government shall process approvals for projects through the Impact Assurance Process of PPIMU as constituted by this Order*”. As if to cover for the incompetence and lack of experience of the son to discharge such responsibilities demanded by his office, the Order states further *The operational Head of PPIMU appointed by the Governor of Ondo State shall be the Director General/Special Adviser (DG/SA) and shall be supported by a professional corp of officers in various categories to be recruited from within and outside of the civil service*.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (15): BEGINS DEMOLITION OF TRADE FAIR COMPLEX*
However, in his trademark sadism, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN has brought wailing and tears to Ondo State entrepreneurs who are tenants of the Ondo State government, at the popular Trade Fair Complex, located at Igbatoro road, Akure.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (16): SPONSORS WIFE FOR SENATE IN IMO STATE*.
Betty’s Senatorial aspiration has been clinically conceptualised immediately after Akeredolu was sworn in as Governor. The first sign was that, some of the Free School Shuttle buses bought by the Dr. Olusegun Mimiko government for easy movement of school children were sighted in Owerri. Of the over 95 buses, not more than 20 are parked at the premises of the Ministry of Works at various levels of bdecay. The Ondo State government has not told the people the whereabout of the remaining buses. If the government says it has no money to run the buses, one will expect to see the buses on ground. The missing buses may have been used to oil the “back to my roots” project.
AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (17): PLANS TO DEDUCT FROM WORKERS’ SALARY TO FUND AMOTEKUN*
The economy of Ondo state is powered by civil servants. It is this same class of persons that Akeredolu has treated with the highest level of disdain and callousness. We urge Akeredolu to be more frugal with handling of the finances of Ondo State, so as not to impoverish the workers further.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (18): HANDPICKS CANDIDATES FOR
2023 ELECTIONS*
How Rotimi Akeredolu succeeded to silence everybody to perpetrate this level of impunity in a party of men and women some of whom have been in party politics for decades is very surprising. How he subdued all voices of reason will make an interesting reading in future.
*AKEREDOLU’S MISRULE IN ONDO STATE (19): FLIP SIDE OF THE OWO MASSACRE*.
What Akeredolu said at the burial service, was a confirmation of what every sensible Nigerian has said about the APC government and its agents. That the government has failed the people is the truth. Akeredolu’s qualification of the failure as “not because we have not tried but because those forces on the other side are evil and they have support” amounts to begging the question.
At least l appreciate the humility of the Governor to openly admit the failure of the APC government, whether at the centre or at home in Ondo State. It is a further proof as to the reason why such an “evil” government should not be allowed beyond 2023.
This series will continue shortly.