The Ondo Mandate Renewal Forum (OMRF) has advised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to always acknowledge the efforts and giant strides of his predecessor and late boss, Rotimi Akeredolu, even as he completes the tenure of the late former governor.
The group frowned at the suspected attempt by the Governor to rubbish the legacies of the late Akeredolu by refusing to give him credit for his projects, and programs which Aiyedatiwa is now commissioning and executing.
Coordinator of the group, Sir David Adelegan in a Press Statement signed and circulated to media practitioners said the group was saddened and taken aback by the activities of the Governor on Thursday when he commissioned the Obas’ Council Secretariat, Fire Trucks and Investment House.
According to the group, it’s public knowledge that the Obas’ Council Secretariat was initiated by the late Governor Olusegun Agagu, abandoned by former Governor Olusegun Mimiko but was reactivated by the late Akeredolu’s administration. Before Akeredolu’s demise, the project was substantially completed.
“It’s unfair for Governor Aiyedatiwa to have commissioned the Oba Council Secretariat without giving the deserved accolade to the late Governors; Olusegun Agagu, who initiated the project and Akeredolu who reactivated the project and substantially completed it before his death. It wouldn’t have taken anything away from the event if Governor Aiyedatiwa had commended his late boss efforts.” The group said.
Adelegan revealed that the Fire Trucks commissioned and handed over to the Fire Brigade officers by the Governor was procured by the late Akeredolu administration and received on his behalf by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Engr. Ade Adetimehin in July 2023.
“It was disappointing to see Governor Aiyedatiwa referred to those trucks as newly acquired when in fact they were procured and delivered to the state since July 21, 2023. Should we conclude that Governor Aiyedatiwa deliberately refused to distribute the trucks to the appropriate channel for almost two years, hoping that we would forget and count it as part of his achievements in office?
“More suspicious is the fact that the Governor refused to mention or acknowledge the late Akeredolu when handing over the truck. It would have suffice for him to give a background of how the trucks came into the state.
“Would it have hurt to say it was procured by your late boss, Rotimi Akeredolu? Is it a taboo to mention Akeredolu’s name and reference his efforts to the projects that he championed and accomplished?
“The reference to Akeredolu at the commissioning of the Investment House was demeaning. It’s a sheer disservice to reduce Akeredolu efforts to merely proposing the concept of the investment house when in fact the late Governor initiated, and regularly supervised the construction of the new investment house. The project was already completed before Akeredolu’s death.
“While we understand that government is continuum, we must consciously separate efforts and achievements of our political leaders. This helps us track not only accountability but also progress in our state.
“Although, we do not want to join in the insinuation that Governor Aiyedatiwa still nurses a deep rooted hatred toward his late boss, but we urge the Governor to be conscious of this realities and give honour to whom it’s due. Akeredolu’s legacies must be acknowledged.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa has also recorded some life changing projects on his own which are ripe for commissioning. The rehabilitation of the Government house fence, painting of the median along Oba Adesida road and the surface dressing of stadium road.
The Governor should also expedite action on the replacement of the concrete barricades with fancy iron barricades on Oba Adesida road as well as the reconstruction of Pa Fasoranti park adjacent ministry of finance, Akure. Well done your excellency.”
