Ondo PDP to Aiyedatiwa: Appointing 344 aides won’t save you from defeat in guber poll

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo has condemned the appointment of 344 persons as senior special assistants (SSAs) and special assistants (SAs) by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of the state.

The governor appointed the aides on Friday — two months to the November 10 governorship election in the state.

In a statement on Sunday, Leye Igbabo, PDP’s director of media and publicity in Ondo, said it is “clueless” for the governor to appoint 344 aides “without portfolios” amid calls for elected officials to cut down on the cost of governance.

Igbabo claimed that the appointment of 344 aides won’t prevent the governor from being defeated by the PDP in the election.

“These last-minute appointments are conceived to hoodwink the appointees who have become disillusioned with a colourless and directionless Stateship. It is clearly intended to chain them to a sinking boat. They are, indeed, the last kicks of a dying horse,” the party said.

“We are nonetheless amused because it has become apparent that the governor is so frightened of his impending failure at the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial election, thus making frantic yet fruitless efforts to save the day by doling out frivolous appointments to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

“It is however too late to avert the unavoidable defeat at the poll because the people had already known that the governor is not made of the sterner stuff needed at a critical time like this, to redirect the State from the path of perdition and ignominy to which is currently being driven, due to his ineptitude occasioned by his clear unpreparedness to assume the mantle of leadership at such level and at such a time.

“Our party counsels that the earlier the governor comes to terms with the reality of his imminent defeat in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, the better for his psychological and emotional stability after the election, because the masses have now become wiser knowing fully well, the consequences of going for the highest bidder in any elections.”

The PDP also criticised Aiyedatiwa over the state of affairs in the south-west state.

The opposition party said the state, which used to be a reference point and a benchmark for innovative governance, has been “brought to this disgusting level and abrupt halt such that nothing is moving in any positive direction again”.

“It is lamentable that the governor cannot, in good conscience, clearly point to any tangible projects he has executed with the over one hundred billion naira that has entered Ondo State under his watch in the last eight months, through federal allocations, palliatives and other bailouts,” the PDP said.

“The capital city of Akure has become a putrifying dumping site where horrible odour oozes out with imminent breakout of the epidemic. Unfortunately, the health facilities are just non-existent to take care of any such incidents.

“Majority of the roads awarded by the government had been recklessly abandoned leaving the residents of the affected areas in nightmares, severe anguish and avoidable trauma that is hard to fathom.

“A government which gave paucity of fund as a lame excuse for non-performance can mindlessly choose to waste the taxpayers’ money on such mass appointments just to realize an importunate personal ambition that has even become a stillbirth before the delivery date.”