>
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has criticised the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for appointing his son, Babajide, as the Director-General of Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit(PPIMU).
A statement signed by the state’s PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, said the action of the governor amounted to abuse of office.
“The recent appointment of Babajide Akeredolu, a biological son of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, (SAN), as the Director General of the PPIMU, is a flagrant abuse of office and affront on the people of Ondo State.
“The appointment as DG of PPIMU for Babajide, a young man who carries on as though he was the person voted as governor, is part of the grand design to finally empty the treasury of the state before Akeredolu returns to Ibadan.
“Only last week, Babajide was reported to have brought another consultant to take charge of forestry operations in the state. It thus appears that Mr. Governor and his immediate family are bent on living fat on the lean resources of the people, when poverty has taken over the land, walking on all four legs.
“There is no further proof of Akeredolu’s insensitivity to the plight of the people, when within two years of his tenure, he organised three lavish weddings for his children, all in foreign lands – in Mauritius, Canada and Colorado, USA.
“Each of these weddings was bankrolled with Ondo State’s funds. Officials of the state government, family members and friends were in these countries to celebrate with Akeredolu and family. Yet, this level of opulence and wasteful lifestyle only started when he became governor,” the PDP statement read.
Reacting, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said:“One big error in public governance is the fear of taking decisions, and it becomes unpardonably grievous when sound decisions are avoided over what I consider unresourceful criticisms.
“There is no way such a sound appointment as that of Babajide would not have elicited uncanny attacks from the PDP. They were expected.
“Ours is to be focused on what we are doing for the good people of the state and not to be distracted by lazy opposition.
“When (Jonah) Jang appointed his son, Yakubu, as a Commissioner in Plateau State, it was okay for them; what about Ifeanyi Okowa who did it in Delta State? When their principal’s brothers in Ondo literally did all the appointments while they held sway, it was okay.”