……Former Chairmen react, threaten litigation.
2nd November, 2023.
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.
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.
