By Alao Azeez Adelani,

Former federal lawmaker and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, has faulted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over recent claims of ₦82 billion in unremitted pension deductions in Ogun State, calling the allegations “misleading and politically dishonest.”

In a statement released through his media consultant, Akinleye Olu-Phillips, Akinlade described the PDP’s accusations against the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration as an attempt to rewrite history and deflect from the party’s own role in the build-up of the pension backlog.

“The figure being paraded by the PDP is not peculiar to the current administration. It is a cumulative pension liability inherited from previous governments—including those headed by the PDP in Ogun State,” the statement said.

The PDP had recently accused the state government of betraying the trust of workers and failing to account for billions in pension deductions, a claim Akinlade says lacks factual basis and context.

“It is either deliberate dishonesty or a lapse in institutional memory for the PDP to deny its own contribution to the crisis,” the statement continued.

Although not a serving government official, Akinlade, a former Member of the House of Representatives under the APC and 2019 APM gubernatorial candidate, has remained a vocal advocate for public sector reform in the state. He noted that Governor Abiodun’s administration has, over the past six years, paid several billions of naira to reduce the pension and gratuity burden.

He also defended the government’s ongoing pension reforms, particularly the shift to a Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), describing it as a forward-looking measure to ensure long-term transparency and accountability.

“This reform process is not cosmetic. It involves establishing pension boards, developing a credible database, and engaging labour stakeholders constructively,” Akinlade said.

He urged political actors to approach governance issues with sincerity and avoid stoking public distrust through unverified allegations.

“Criticism is welcome in a democracy, but it must be based on facts, not fiction. Ogun State workers deserve clarity, not chaos,” he said.

The statement reiterated Akinlade’s support for the Abiodun-led administration’s pension strategy and urged continued collaboration to secure sustainable solutions for retirees and public servants in the state.