The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised concerns about what it calls Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s refusal to complete several projects started by his predecessor, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. The party claimed that Aiyedatiwa’s actions were part of a deliberate effort to erase the late governor’s legacy.
The PDP, through a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Leye Igbabo, on Sunday, stated that the governor appeared to have no interest in continuing the unfinished works left behind by Akeredolu. The opposition party alleged that this could be part of a personal agenda rooted in political grievances.
“We are worried about the unwillingness and inability of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to complete all the ongoing projects left behind by his benefactor and predecessor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
“The available facts showed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was not ready to go on with the projects, because of his clear intention to destroy his predecessor’s legacy on the altar of political vendetta against the late governor and his camp, who allegedly did all within their power to deny him ascension to the office of the governor when the late governor was incapacitated by ill-health and even after the ultimate death of the immediate past governor.
“Aiyedatiwa was said to have boasted of his powers as the executive governor to stop any projects that did not catch his fancy and that those who had benefited from the projects, by way of monetary or material rewards, should also go ahead to look for means of financing the said projects to completion.
“Our party has sufficient reasons to suspect very strongly that these allegations of an attempt to abandon and destroy his predecessor’s legacy could be very true.
“We have to come to this conclusion because one has to know why a governor who has huge resources at his disposal would be going back and forth to simply complete projects left behind by his predecessor when the government is regarded as a continuum,” the PDP said.
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) swiftly dismissed these claims. In a statement, the party’s state Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, described the PDP’s accusations as baseless and politically motivated. He noted that Governor Aiyedatiwa was committed to finishing all major projects started under the previous administration.
“It is apparent that the PDP is resorting to a desperate attempt to regain relevance by fabricating claims that lack any basis in fact.
“Since the victorious governorship election won by our party, the PDP has emerged as a vocal antagonist, seemingly more interested in creating discord than offering constructive criticism,” he said.
The media director said, “While we typically refrain from engaging in the blame games of opposition parties, it has become necessary to clarify the truth for the public, who deserve to be informed about the PDP’s misleading narratives.
“We would like to emphasise that all projects initiated under the previous administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu are receiving the attention they deserve.
“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa views the past administration as an extension of his own, as he served as deputy governor during that time.
“It is, therefore, nonsensical for the PDP to suggest that Governor Aiyedatiwa would undermine the legacy he helped build by neglecting ongoing projects.”
He listed road projects and infrastructural developments, such as the Oda Road (in Akure) and its extensions, which were started by the late Governor Akeredolu.
“It is ironic that the PDP, a party that sought to overturn the people’s mandate granted to Governor Aiyedatiwa during the November 16, 2024, governorship election but dismissed at the tribunal, now resorts to a campaign of disinformation.
“Their attempts to discredit the governor through baseless propaganda are not only misguided but also reflect their own internal struggles and declining relevance,” the APC stated.
The APC advised the opposition party to focus on addressing the challenges within its party, “which has seen significant defections, including that of sitting governors, rather than concocting lies to mislead the public.”
