…..You’re only Masquerading —Ondo Govt tells Group
By: Our Reporter
A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) group, the Ondo Redemption Front (ORF) has challenged the Ondo State House of Assembly to launch a credible investigation into the financial allegations that are involving the state government especially controversies surrounding a bond of ₦240 billion took from the stock market.
The ORF through its Chairman, Mr Ayodeji Ologun, his Co-Chairman
Kayode Mogbojuri and Secretary, Mr Adedotun Ajulo, also insisted that the state government to explain the audited accounts of all bond proceeds accruing to the state.
Addressing a press conference in Akure on Thursday, the CSO group called on the government to resume critical infrastructure projects and refocus governance on the welfare of the people, not personal politics.
Ologun, who read the speech of the group, alleged that the state government took a bond of ₦240 billion from the stock market without the citizens of the state being aware of the transaction or benefiting from the deal.
“Take, for instance, the matter of the ₦240 billion bond issuance and the allegations of ₦12 billion monthly kickbacks. These are not ordinary whispers in the marketplace; these are damning claims that go to the heart of probity in public office.
“Though the government continues to wave them aside as mere allegations, what remain undebatable is the fact that public visibility into its current price or yield is blurry. Out of respect for the sanctity of state institutions, we withhold documents and information in this regard, we however issue a stern ultimatum to the Governor and his Commissioner for Finance, who is complicit in these dealings: come clean or face full exposure.
“The Ondo State House of Assembly must rise above partisanship and open an urgent, transparent investigation into this matter. Silence will only confirm suspicion.”
According to him, “These are not ordinary whispers in the marketplace; these are damning claims that go to the heart of probity in public office. Though the government continues to wave them aside as mere allegations, what remains undebatable is the fact that public visibility into its current price or yield is blurry.
“The Ondo State House of Assembly must rise above partisanship and open an urgent, transparent investigation into this matter. Silence will only confirm suspicion.
“On infrastructure, the Shagari Village Bridge and similar projects expose the government’s lack of planning. Some were embarked upon without proper feasibility studies, others are stalled, and many of those delivered are substandard.
“Under Aiyedatiwa, Ondo’s infrastructure programme has become political theatre, designed for ribbon-cutting ceremonies and photo opportunities, not a genuine impact on the lives of the people.”
The group said its challenge to the state government was a result of the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who asked the citizens to hold their respective governors responsible for their welfare since the increase in the federal allocation accruing to the states with the removal of subsidy from the petroleum products.
His words “We commend President Tinubu for his boldness in redirecting national discourse to where responsibility truly lies. The governors, not the federal government, now hold the purse and the platform to transform lives at the grassroots. With resources flowing from the federation account, governors can no longer hide behind excuses. The funnel of opportunities is wide open. To the Ondo State Government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, we ask: What exactly will be your legacy?
“Eighteen months into his stewardship, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s performance can, at best, be described as below par. Despite receiving a fresh and overwhelming mandate in November 2024, when the people of Ondo State handed him more than 72 percent of the votes, the government of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has stumbled rather than soared.
“Instead of consolidating on that goodwill, the administration has sunk into lethargy and mediocrity. Infrastructure renewal is stalled, the healthcare system is deteriorating, policy-making is inconsistent, and implementation is weak.
“The much-publicized pledge of ‘inclusive welfare, infrastructure, and economic expansion’ made during his swearing-in remains largely empty rhetoric. Governor Aiyedatiwa has shown neither urgency nor vision. He behaves more like an accidental governor, propelled into office by circumstance rather than deliberate preparation, than a leader with a clear mission to transform the state. His government lurches from one controversy to another, lacking coherence, sustainability, or continuity in policy direction.”
“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa must urgently wake up from his slumber, release audited accounts of all bond proceeds, resume critical infrastructure projects, and refocus governance on the welfare of the people, not personal politics.
“The Ondo State House of Assembly must, within the shortest possible time, launch a credible investigation into the financial allegations that have tainted the administration. The people cannot wait in the dark while their commonwealth is plundered.
“Civil Society Organisations and the Press must continue to serve as watchdogs, demanding transparency, monitoring projects, and speaking truth to power. The people of Ondo State themselves must embrace civic responsibility, refusing to be lulled into complacency, and holding their governor accountable at every turn.
“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa must be reminded that leadership is not an inheritance nor an accident, it is a sacred trust. The people of Ondo did not grant him a comfortable win to preside over stagnation. They entrusted him with their hopes for transformation.
“President Tinubu’s call for accountability is not a reprimand; it is a lifeline. If Aiyedatiwa refuses to seize it, history will record him not as a leader, but as an interlude, a man who inherited power by accident and squandered opportunity by choice.
It is time for direction, vision, and seriousness. Ondo State deserves better than this rudderless experiment,” the group said.
Reacting, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanakun said those making the allegations are politicians masquerading as members of CSOs.
Ajanakun noted that, “those people masquerading as civil society organisations are members of the APC fighting their party and the president. The government will react once we see their claims.”
