Son of the late governor of Ondo State, Babajide Akeredolu, has asked Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to complete all projects started by his father if the governor genuinely wants to honour the late governor.
Babajide also questioned Aiyedatiwa’s sincerity in naming a yet-to-be-completed project after his late father. He noted, “Naming a project after someone before its completion is both premature and insincere.”
However, a top government official who pleaded anonymity told LEADERSHIP that Babajide Akeredolu’s claims were untrue.
The government official stated that Babajide’s condescending tone about the governor’s unavailability at the family events shows “his lack of respect for the office of the Governor.”
In a statement made available to journalists in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday, Babajide described a ‘lack of courtesy and respect’ for the state government to organise a memorial lecture for his father without involving any member of the Akeredolu family.
He said, “It is important to state unequivocally that Governor Aiyedatiwa was aware of the Akeredolu family’s plans for the remembrance.
My uncle and head of the Akeredolu family, Prof. Wole Akeredolu, personally informed the governor at his monthly praise night in November at the Dome in Akure.
The governor acknowledged this and affirmed that the state government would participate in the event.
“Furthermore, an official invitation letter was delivered to the Director of Protocol, Government House, Mr George Asonja. The letter was duly received and acknowledged. At no point did the governor or his representatives indicate any conflicting plans or suggest that the state government intended to organise a separate event.
“It was, therefore, both shocking and deeply disappointing to learn about the state-organised event through social media just three days before it was held. Even more disappointing was that no member of the Akeredolu family was invited to this event.
This lack of courtesy and respect is unheard of and unbecoming, especially for an event meant to honour the memory of a former governor and patriarch. At the same time, we recognise that the state government has the prerogative to organise such events and basic decency and protocol demand that the family of the deceased be informed and included.
“This glaring oversight leads one to question if it was intentional mischief or based on erroneous advice from the governor’s aides.”
Pointedly, Babajide commended the governor for performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Judicial Complex, a project initiated by his father. He said, “True immortality lies in completing the project and ensuring its functionality.”
While describing how best to honour his late father, Babajide asked Governor Aiyedatiwa to “prioritise the completion of key projects initiated by our late patriarch as a matter of urgency.”
He says, “As a former Head of the Project Performance and Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPIMU), I am well informed and involved to advise Governor Aiyedatiwa if he genuinely wishes to immortalise Arakunrin Akeredolu. As a matter of urgency, Mr Governor should prioritise the completion of key projects initiated by our late patriarch:
“Upgrade Rufus Giwa Polytechnic to a University. All preliminary studies and recommendations for this upgrade were completed during Akeredolu’s administration. The governor should expedite this process to fulfil his predecessor’s vision.
“Complete the First Flyover in Akure The flyover at Onyearugbulem Junction, a turnkey project meant to be completed within 18 months, crawls at a snail’s speed. Its completion would be a fitting honour to Akeredolu’s commitment to infrastructure development.
“Address Abandoned Road Projects. The road construction behind SIB in Akure has been abandoned. Residents groan during both the dry and rainy seasons.
“Ijoka Road has deteriorated into a nightmare due to neglect. Even the shoddy work done on Oda Road since Governor Aiyedatiwa took over pales compared to the quality delivered during Akeredolu’s administration.”
Reacting, the top government official who pleaded anonymity said
“Is Babajide unaware of the public attacks and unrestrained abuse that his mother, former First Lady, has had on the Governor since he assumed office? Is Babajide also unaware of how his mother had embarrassed the Governor and Deputy Governor by ignoring their pleasantries at public events?
“That Babajide was privileged to hold a non-existent political office under his father’s administration does not confer on him the right to dictate how Governor Aiyedatiwa handles government projects and policies.
“The road projects he mentioned, including Oda road dualisation, Ijoka road dualisation and the Irese flyover, were all abandoned when he and a few others held the state to ransom and caused a needless political crisis during his father’s illness. All contractors handling the projects, who were not paid for the job done, had been nowhere near the projects for close to two years before Governor Aiyedatiwa mobilised them back to the site in February this year.
“Babajide should cure his ignorance by visiting the road projects to assess the progress made in the last year of the Aiyedatiwa administration. Those projects suffered under his reign as Director General of the Project Performance and Implementation Monitoring Unit. He arrogated the title of a de facto Governor in this office for three years.
“Babajide should return all government properties he took away before arrogantly making statements on how to run the government.”
