By Dayo Johnson

AKure – THE opposition  All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State, is battling the  ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko on two vital financial issues barely 18months to the expiration of his tenure.

These  issues have to do with the governor’s request to banks to grant him a loan of N7billion to complete on-going projects in the state and the allegation that members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP are on the payroll of the state government, thereby milking the state.

But the governor is unperturbed by the attacks coming from the opposition, describing it as mere distractions. The opposition party has therefore asked the Federal government and banks not to grant the request, of the governor and equally beckoned to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe the allegation that the Chieftain of the ruling party in Abuja draws monthly salaries from the coffers of the state government, a situation of reaping where they did not sow.

On the loan palava, the opposition party pointedly challenged the governor to account for the huge allocations and loans he had received so far in his two terms as governor. The party therefore kicked against the granting of any future loans to the governor by banks and the federal government. But the attack from the opposition party seems not to attract any sympathy from the people of the state as the 26 House of Assembly members (including five from the APC)  have unanimously approved the granting of the loan to the governor.

Oppositionparty

The support of its five members in the House of Assembly has however pulled the rug off the feet of the opposition party on the loan request. It’s members in the Assembly led by  the minority leader, Hon Musa Mukaila, at the plenary session  corroborated the submission of other PDP members who maintained that a “denial of such request of N7b is a denial of democratic dividends for the good people of Ondo State”.

Unconfirmed reports had it that the state APC has queried it’s members in the Assembly for “ sheepishly endorsing the granting of the loan. Vanguard learnt from an insider within the party that the members were summoned by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party which expressed its displeasure that the five members are not playing the role of the opposition party on the floor of the house.

Speaking on the loan request, the party state Chairman, Hon Isaac Kekemeke, wondered why the governor is asking for another loan when his administration was yet to fully offset the debt still hanging on the neck of the state. Kekemeke challenged the government to justify the allocation that had accrued to the state and the project executed since he took over in 2009.

The party which seems angered  by  the reason adduced by the government for the loan in a statement said “the approval of the loan will create pitfalls and drawback for the incoming administration.” It said that ”the little projects done so far by the government does not justify the N44billion the governor met in the state coffers and the allocations he has collected since 2009 when he took over the reins of government.

“The governor was only trying to create a mess for the incoming government that will take over from him come 2017, like what former President Goodluck Jonathan did for President Muhammadu Buhari.”the party stated. The party explained further that “The good people of Ondo State must ask Mimiko why the state must borrow another N7billion loans when billions of naira debt was yet to be cleared by the government?

Kekemeke: Ondo APC chairman

Incominggovernment

Mimiko is only trying to create a mess for the incoming government which will take over from him by 2017. Such new governor will find it difficult to hit the ground running, like what President Muhammadu Buhari’s government inherited from Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”  According to the party “we have it on good authority that the said N7billion loan was only meant for the completion of the Dome project and the Fiwasaye/Oba-Ile/airport road.

These projects have been on since 2009. Mimiko should explain to the people of Ondo State why he should be seeking for loans for the completion of the Fiwasaye/Oba-Ile/Airport Road project which N4.1billion was awarded for, notwithstanding the fact that N1.5 billion was first awarded for the Dome Project and was re-awarded in 2013 for N2 billion.

But the ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s  Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, told South West Voice that   “we note with concern the continuing attitude of the APC to all matters that concern the Ondo State Government and PDP in Ondo State as it is permanently laced with unbridled bitterness and absolute ignorance of the issues in contention.”

Fadaka added that “to say the least, it is the most unimaginative manner to constitute a meaningful opposition as ideas do not drive these reactions.”

He said: “The APC’s new opposition to the loan bid of the Ondo State Government is bereft of any cogent point and it reflects a cheap attitude of just opposing this development merely for the desperate sake of being heard on all issues and that the government reason for asking for the loan is that it says it has an obligation to complete all ongoing projects as it does not want to leave any abandoned project for the next government and we believe this is a very legitimate action for Government to pursue, it is an action that all right thinking persons support and even the APC members of the House of Assembly were patriotic enough to put partisanship aside and voted in favor of the desire of Government.”

Oppositionparty

On its allegation of putting the NWC members of the party on the payroll of the state government, the opposition party  alleged that the PDP members, especially, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh are on the monthly pay roll of the Ondo state government. The party said the governor  should at this crucial  period of economic downturn “apply austerity measures: plug loopholes, cut down wasteful spending, prioritize resources.”

But the PDP Publicity secretary, Hon. Banji Okunomo in a swift reaction said   “the  allegation, in spite of its illogicalities,   pettiness and pedestrian quality is absolutely criminal as it is intended to assail and assault the credibility of both the Government and personality of Olisa Metuh.”He said that rather than indulge in malfeasance, the APC should be absolutely worried about the fact that it led Nigerians to believe that it will bring a radical development to the nation and all it has done so far is to fail to take off, thereby putting the nation into  reverse gear.

After arguments in favour were adduced by both members of the ruling party and the opposition party (APC), the house agreed unanimously that the loan is in the overall interest of the state.

They submitted that  the loan will give room for the completion of all ongoing projects across the state.

Leading the deliberation on the request for the loan, the majority leader, Hon Ifedayo Akinsoyinu of the PDP explained that the loan will ensure speedy completion of all ongoing projects expected from a responsive and responsible government. Others who spoke in favour of the approval include  Hon Olamide George representing Akure North, Hon Abimbola Fajolu representing Ile-Oluji/Oke-igbo

Hon Fajolu therefore moved that the request be granted and it   was seconded by Hon George The speaker, Rt. Hon Jumoke Akindele who presided over the siting said since the Lawmakers are unanimous in their submissions the request of the governor “ is hereby granted” However, South West Voice llearnt that the state governor was desirous in completing some notable on going projects hence the request.

The loan according to findings is being sought from Access Bank. Some of the project that have reached advanced stages include the International Event Centre, known as the “ Dome,”  the Airport/Oba-Ile expressway, some roads in the oil rich riverine areas, construction of Mega Schools, Mother and Child and the purchase of some Free Shuttle buses for some Local government areas in the state and some deteriorating link roads within the Akure metropolis amonsgt others