Politics
PDP Blasts Ondo Gov Over Deplorable Roads
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ondo State chapter, has carpeted Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for allegedly turning a blind eye to the deplorable state of roads in the state.
The PDP, which stated that the bad roads call for huge concern, stressed that the APC-led government under the watch of Akeredolu has neglected inherited infrastructures from the past government in pursuit of his own personal achievements for electoral gains.
A statement issued by Director of Media and Publicity, Ondo State PDP Zadok Akintoye, and made available to newsmen, emphasized that governance ought to be primarily for the people instead of what he described as the political scheming being embarked upon by the governor in the state.
The statement read, “Governance is an all-encompassing venture that mandates that we take responsibility for maintaining public infrastructure, creating new ones and doing all we can to give citizens a reason to hope for a better day.
“The state of roads in Ondo state calls for concern and underlines our cries as a party, that the Akeredolu led APC government is not doing all it should ensure that government infrastructure inherited from previous administrations are maintained for the good of the people but is rather more concerned about building personal legacies in his name for electorate purposes.
“A drive through any of these roads in the state capital would show you how clearly, this APC government has shown incapacity to bring the fruits of proper administration to our state. Ondo road, Oba Adesida road, Agagu road, Idanre road, Igoba, Ijoka, Oda, Fanibi, Isolo, Orita Obele are just a few of the very busy roads that have fallen into very shameful states during the less than three years tenure of this government and yet, the focus of the APC is in abandoning these roads while awarding bogus contracts for new roads, that are mostly done not for the desire to ease the burden of the people, but to create bragging rights legacies that fuels their ego as having accomplished the unprecedented.
“The long term cost of the dilapidation of these roads to the citizens of Ondo state is that the poorly managed roads will deteriorate to a point were successive governments would have to rebuild such roads, thus costing us more money in the near future to provide what should necessarily have coat less with good maintenance.”
Zadok added that “These huge burdens would have been avoided if the government of the day showed good managerial capacity in the administration of public resources. The lack of synergy between the political appointees of this administration, with the civil service and citizens, is now ever more evident with the deplorable state of roads and other public infrastructure in our state.
“We hope that the governor, who has been absent from his duties in the state in the last three weeks, would wake up to his responsibilities and see the obvious facts that his two-year reign in power, is leaving decayed legacies across the state in an unprecedented manner.”
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
