The camps of the Ondo state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his estranged Deputy, Agboola Ajayi have renewed attacks on each other even after the October 10, 2020 governorship election had been won and lost.
The latest impasse is caused by the criticism of Governor Akeredolu’s decision to receive a national award from pharmacists despite insecurity in the state.
Allen Sowore (Media Adviser to Ondo state Deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi) said Akeredolu is insensitive while Richard Olatunde Olabode (Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on New media) blasted Sowore of spreading falsehood.
Below are details of their attack and counterattack;
AWARD OF INSENSITIVITY
By: Allen Sowore (Media Adviser to Ondo state Deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi)
On 26th November, 2020, Oba Adegoke Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon, headquarters of Ose Local Government Area, Ondo State, was gruesomely murdered by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers within his own territory.
Almost simultaneously, the wife of Mr Olugbenga Ale, Chief of Staff to Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, was abducted by suspected gunmen at Owena, Idanre LGA, Ondo State.
Don’t forget that Mrs Olufunke Olakurin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti was murdered in July, 2019, around Ore, Ondo State by persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
I can tell you sincerely that on daily basis in Ondo State, people get kidnapped or are killed by either killer herdsmen, kidnappers and other criminals unchecked. The situation is really worrisome.
However, Mr Governor’s reactions to this serious and unending security challenge is to go to Abuja with his entire cabinet members to receive an award. Then I ask myself and everyone, award for what exactly? Is it an award for not been able to secure the people of Ondo State, where he’s the CSO? Or for the number of prominent and ordinary Ondo State citizens that have been gruesomely murdered under his watch?
Yesterday, in a statement posted on Facebook by Governor Akeredolu’s media aide, Olabode Richard Olatunde, he boasted that Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN was honoured with a National Award by the Association Of Community Pharmacists Of Nigeria (ACPN).
But it was really but sadly lost on Richard and his principal that that award is simply an Award of Insensitivity!
What a shame! What an audacity!
Aketi’s award is the equivalent of Nero partying while Rome was on fire.
Richard’s insensitive statement even listed the people in attendance with the governor at the award ceremony as follows:
Deputy Governor-Elect, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Executive Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Engr. Ife Oyedele and members of the state executive council including; the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, Head of Service, Mr. Dare Aragbaiye, Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Wale Akinterinwa, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Donald Ojogo, Special Adviser to the Governor (Public and Intergovernmental) Mrs. Bunmi Ademosu, Accountant-General, Mr. Laolu Akindolire among others.
In addition, the First Lady mobilised not less than 30 women from across Ondo State to Abuja for this purpose.
It was a road show of shame. Aketi and his entourage went to Abuja to dance on the blood and graves of murdered Ondo State citizens, especially Late Oba Adeusi, Olufon of Ifon.
Just ignore their insensitivity and recklessness for awhile.
Just calculate how much of the taxpayers’ money went into that offensive and morbid jamboree of satanic proportion. The state government spends an average of six million naira anytime Mr Governor travels out of the state. Ondo State people have become used to it; at least Mr Governor attends one ” Owambe party” in Ibadan every weekend.
Now lets get back to the core of this piece. What’s offensive and irritating about this particular trip is the fact that we are still mourning the gruesome death of a first class king in Ondo State – Oba Adegoke Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon. The king who was very supportive of Akeredolu’s reelection transaction.
Had it been that Oba Adegoke Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon was from Owo Local Government Area, Mr Governor wouldn’t have danced on his grave less than a week of the king’s gruesome murder for which no one has been arrested.
Akeredolu is not only reckless; he’s shallow minded, ethically challenged and he’s bereft of human feelings. The people around him can’t even help him; they’re all yes men, political choristers and hallelujah boys/girls.
Let somebody remind Akeredolu that ‘gbogbo wa la d’agbada iku’. No one will leave this earth alive. Death is a price we must all pay.
Let Akeredolu learn how to be human or at least pretend to be one.
Ire oooooo.
ALLEN SOWORE AND HIS UNFOUNDED CLAIMS OF INSENSITIVITY
By: Richard Olatunde Olabode (Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on New media)
Yesterday, the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) honored Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, with a National Award at its 39th National Scientific Conference held at the International Conference Center, Abuja.
The Award was in recognition of the significant strides of Governor Akeredolu in the health sector, particularly as it relates to his contributions to the progress and development of Pharmacists in the state.
As expected, there have been needless insinuations making the round on the award. The latest hogwash was authored by Allen Sowore who is still nursing the pains of a resounding political defeat. Needless to say, Allen’s political misadventure has continued to fire him to coin balderdash without facts and accurate information.
Allen, while justifying his claims of insensitivity, wrote that Governor Akeredolu went to Abuja with his entire cabinet members to receive an award. He further claimed that even the First Lady alongside 30 other women also joined the Governor for the Award.
Ordinarily, this baleful narratives intentionally churned out to the public were not unexpected.This is so because of the quality of the award and the validation it has on the outstanding performances of Governor Akeredolu in the health sector. People like Allen who is an hireling of an overrated personality can never find joy in the success of the Akeredolu administration. We can only sympathize with them.
It’s imperative to state that the erroneous impression being created by Allen that the entire members of the State Executive Council attended the event is pernicious. For the records, not more than five members of the state executive council were in Abuja to receive the award with the Governor.
They include; The SSG, Head of Service, Commissioner for Finance, Commissioner for Information and Orientation(who ordinarily had media engagements in Abuja) and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public and Intergovernmental affairs.
Similarly, the First Lady’s trip to Abuja has nothing to do with the Governor’s Award. Infact, she wasn’t at the venue of the Award event. She is still in Abuja attending the Nigerian Governor’s Wives Against Gender Based Violence (NGWA-GBV) 1st Annual Conference.
It’s a pity that Allen would come to the public space with outright falsehood apparently to rubbish an award that was given and received with noble intentions. Such is their stock in trade.
Allen’s narrative and claims of insensitivity wrapped around insecurity are hypocritical and self serving. His efforts at trivializing the general insecurity in the country and painting a picture of an imaginary peculiarity in Ondo State is wicked.
While it’s known that the country is in a very serious security challenge, Ondo State is not left out. There are pragmatic steps taken by the Governor but the issue of security is not one to be announced to the whole world. Concerted efforts are being made towards tackling this ugly trend.
What’s is even sad is the way Allen and his cohort played politics with the death of a revered personality last week.Immediately the news of the ugly incident broke, Allen led the insensitive play of politics. He turned himself to Reggae dancer, dancing on the grave of an innocent man. Very heartless move. When everyone was mourning, Allen and co were singing.
The concerned Governor Akeredolu knew the worth of the loss of the state when he embarked on a late night journey to the scene of the ugly incidence that claimed the life of the revered personality last week. Nothing Allen and his people would say that will change the concern and hard work of the Governor toward securing the lives and property of the people of the state. Leadership is not a joke, it’s a huge task.
