Time Shall Tell
The atmosphere of Ondo State was positively charged with euphoria not without specks of mixed feelings when the news of Local Council Development Areas hit the air waves in November 2023. However the joy across the Communities in the state was short-lived when the Local Government Councils' and LCDAs' Caretaker Committee members earlier nominated by the then Executive Governor of Ondo State, HE, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu ,SAN ,CON of blessed memory and duly screened by the present Ondo State House of Assembly were sacked. The nomination of the Caretaker Chairmen of the eighteen (18) LGAs and thirty-three (33) LCDAs and their Vice-Chairmen was ratified at the Plenary of the Ondo State House of Assembly on 28th November, 2023
By a Letter dated 2nd January, 2024, the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the order of the Governor abruptly suspended the Caretaker Committees of the Local Government Councils and LCDAs from office purportedly acting on the order of the High Court now found to be a legal hoax.
Ever since this unfortunate suspension, it has been one story or the other. Of recent, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa publicly said at the Swearing-in Ceremony of his new Commissioners that he would announce the reconstituted Committees of the LGs and LCDAs after the APC Primary Election so as to take care of the interest of those Aspirants who would have lost out in the Governorship Primary Election. What an effrontery and a gross denial of opportunities? Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa did not wait until after the Primary Election before constituting his Cabinet but now comfortable to use the Transition Committee of the LGs and LCDAs to take care of the Aspirants. One honestly would have expected him to be bold enough to say he is presently living large on the 'monthly largesse' he is getting from the Ondo State Councils… We will know very soon who is fooling who as the people of the state will discover how much has been cornered from the Local Government Funds…
Will Gov. Lucky Ayedatiwa also use LGs and LCDAs Caretaker Committees' appointment in both Ondo Central and Ondo North Senatorial Districts to also take care of his brothers ( Governorship Aspirants) from Ondo South Senatorial District since no Aspirant participated in the APC Primary with him from both the two Senatorial Districts save the only woman who just participated to register her name? Who are the political Advisers of this man for God sake?
Regrettably, it is both heartbreaking and disturbing that a man who became the governor of the state on public sympathy could be this mean, wicked and selfish.
Gov. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa has clearly shown that he cannot be trusted with the votes of Ondo state people on the following grounds;
a) He is a man of questionable characters who cannot be taken for his words. He has refused to announce the names of the Transition Committee members of the eighteen (18) LGs and thirty-three (33) LCDAs across the state despite numerous pledges to his Party members and Leaders who had at one point or the other engaged him on the need to respect the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state who have been deprived of grassroots political participation since he directed their suspension on January 2, 2024 due to political bias and vendetta. He even attempted to revert to the old eighteen (18) Local Government structure but for the timely advice of some of his Party Chieftains despite knowing fully well that the State Law that established the old 18 local government structure and even when the thirty three (33) LCDAs were validly passed by the State Assembly and duly signed into Law by the Late Governor whilst Mr. Lucky Orimisan was serving as the State Deputy Governor. It has been discovered that he finds it extremely convenient to keep the Local Government Administration across the state in the Cooler since he didn’t sail through with his own selfish structure. He decides to use the present structure as it is currently constituted as a veritable conduit of siphoning the treasury of the Local Government Councils as it has been discovered that through this means he has secretly financed expenses of his just concluded primary election in APC which, to all intents and purposes, has been described by political actors, stakeholders and opinion leaders as a charade, a rape of democratic ethos and an open mockery of due process…
b) He has continued with his “promise and fail” plot despite his several promises and pledges at all fora to his Party (APC ) Leaders and even with several interventions and appeals by the party stakeholders and APC State Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin. Despite the known fact that the same political vehicle that brought him to Deputy Governorship position and limelight before his eventual elevation to the present office of the governor , Mr Ayedatiwa has continually and consistently deceived and played APC big shots with whom he enjoyed the same political patronage. He has brought to those Party men and women whom he now finds joy in playing politics with their offices pains and agonies…
c) It is now open to the people of the state that this man could not be trusted with their votes as he has consistently made empty electoral promises for reasons not other than currying their favour. This is the height of deceit and denial...Where are the Contractors he claimed he ordered back to site across the state? We are here together in the state; we are looking forward to another promise from Mr. Aiyedatiwa now that the rain is here…All these political lies must stop now that the people of Ondo state are wiser.
d) The LCDAs creation is one of the shining legacies of Akeredolu-led Administration so cherished by the entire good people of the state. Now where lies the truth in this man that finds pleasure in claiming that he is out to sustain the landmark legacies of his former boss? It was reported that Mr Ayedatiwa once gathered the sacked Council Chairmen and other members of the Caretaker Committees for a crucial meeting at Cocoa Conference Hall in Akure sometimes in February, 2024 where he told them it was the State High Court that sacked them from office and not him as a governor. Who is he fooling? Who does not know in the state that it was Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa himself that masterminded the case at the High Court? Who does not know how to put a meat in the mouth and start looking for it elsewhere? The people of the sunshine state knows that there is no any case at the state High Court voiding the constitution of the “Caretaker Committee “ . It is Gov. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa that is playing politics with the lives of his Party members without any concern for welfare of the entire good people of Ondo State.
e) Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has implored several tactics over time to achieve his selfish agenda. This is greatly disturbing. At a time it was reported that he actually misappropriated the Local Government Funds as he was the one presiding over Joint Allocation Committee of the Local Councils . Several Billions of Naira of the Local Government Funds could not be accounted for even as we speak.
f) The governor should be reminded that the end will surely justify the means. If he believes he could deceive and deny the people of the state of grassroots administration which is the hallmark objective of the LGs and LCDAs in the state, he should not forget that this is just for limited time as the clock is ticking . Six (6) months is around the corner to give account of his stewardship and for the people of the state to decide if they are not tired of deception, lies, maneuvering and corruption…. We are all waiting…
It is a shame that Ekiti state, our sister state is currently far ahead of Ondo state in term of Local Government Administration. This observation is germane and painful despite the willingness of our people to join hands to make the LCDAs thrive.
The end to all these political shenanigans is imminent and Ondo state shall be great again..but we call on Mr Ayedatiwa to remember that the joy stolen from the good people of the state must be restored back to them.
The Governor should without further delay be courageous enough to announce the names of the Transition Committees as the people of the state are yearning for grassroots political participation as this is a true way of immortalizing Gov.Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu ,SAN.
God bless Ondo State
God bless Nigeria
Signed...
Comrade Toluwani Adejori
Chairman
Mr. Bayo Ogundadejo
Secretary,
Movement for Good Governance in Ondo State
