The Ondo state Government has described as a rough path to depression, allegation by the PDP Southwest leadership that the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, wants to negotiate his ways at the supreme court with workers salaries.
The Ondo State Government reaction was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Information Commissioner, Donald Ojogo.
The Precision NG reports that the PDP South-west Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, had earlier in a statement alerted labour leaders in the state, to what it described as a move by the Governor to mortgage the state workforce for political gain.
But in a swift reaction to the allegation, Ojogo added that the PDP, that once ruled the state with an unpaid salary of 7 months before it was defeated by the APC, should focus more how to win at the apex court, rather than embarking on a blackmail.
Read the full statement below:
Press Statement
Re: Akeredolu Negotiates Workers Welfare- PDP’s Rough Path To Depression
A release purportedly issued by the South-West Zonal leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is hereby noted. The said press release had made allusions to the effect that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN has ‘mortgaged’ the welfare of workers in Ondo State in order to ‘procure’ a favourable judgement at the Supreme Court.
The Ondo State Government led by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN shall not, at this instance, serve as the Supreme Court’s mouthpiece in the face of the PDP’s uncanny attacks. It is, however, disturbing to note that a political party, ostensibly speaking for a Senior Advocate, could descend to the unpardonable abyss of branding Honourable Justices of the Apex Court ‘procurable’ items in the course of their duties to the Nation.
The question is: for what purpose was the unpaid seven months salaries under the last PDP administration mortgaged? Of truth, workers are entitled to their wages and are indeed, right to demand legitimate entitlements. It is, all the same, heart-warming to note that the same workers are not oblivious of the current global economic straits.
That Ondo State is not insulated from this fiscal ravage is saying the obvious. Yet, the Akeredolu shall not follow the path of infamy and sack workers as it was in the days of PDP. It is rather, equally more gratifying to evolve ingeniuos means to sail along than leave workers unpaid for months under the guise of paucity of funds.
It is, perhaps, laughable that PDP failed to realise that its position grossly violates what it represented while it held sway in Ondo State prior to the current administration. The mindless audacity to owe workers seven months as well as the brazen dispaly of executive recklessness that saw to the sack of over 1,000 workers have both combined to repudiate the opposition party’s thrive at demonising Akeredolu and his government.
The said press release has merely made spurious allegations aside laying a sandy foundation ahead of the PDP’s leprous efforts at the Supreme Court. There could not have been a better effort at marketing helplessness occasioned by paucity of ideas and lack of direction as displayed by the prees release. It showcases ignorantly, PDP’s further slide on the rough path to depression.
From all indications, Ondo State does not deserve to be in the hands of these scavenging elements collectively christened PDP. The fact that the party does not know how allocations are disbursed from Abuja, dispensed and spent at the State depicts a pitifully demeaning scenario for the party. Alluding to a theatric ‘across-the-counter exchange of funds between a Governor and the CBN or whoever’ speaks volume of the ilk that comprises PDP.
For the records, allocations are not paid into private accounts; they are paid into government accounts managed by relevant authorities, who are civil servants. In the case of Ondo State, stakeholders, particularly the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) play a principal role in the disbursement/allocation of funds in line with available funds.
The PDP is therefore, admonished to focus on its appeal at the Supreme Court and pursue same with the desired legal industry and zeal rather than this voyage of self-denial and blackmail.
Signed:
Donald Ojogo
Commissioner for Information and Orientation
Ondo State
June 28, 2021.
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