Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ondo State has chastised the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Eyitayo Jegede over claim that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration nhas failed the people of the state.
Jegede had said that the Akeredolu’s administration failed to prioritize the needs of the people of the state.
He also said that the inter-change bridge constructed on Benin-Ore express road by Akeredolu’s administration was unnecessary, considering other vital needs of the people of the state.
But the APC said Jegede’s claim showed that he was not familiar with the people of the state and an expression of ignorance about governance.
The party in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro said “we viewed with disgust the conservative partisan claim of the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, in which he insinuated that Akeredolu embarked on a phony project in respect of the overhead bridge built at Ore as reckless and perfidious.”
He said “his reference to education as an area on which the government should have spent the fund for the construction displays his lack of adequate knowledge of how government is run; as governance must touch the life of its people in different areas of need.
“The Ore interchange bridge is one of the ways government strives to reduce traffic lockdown and the rate of vehicular accidents which, very often, claim the lives of our people around the area. To save life is priceless, while the benefit of that interchange to the daily life and the economy of our state are not easily quantifiable.
“We wish to advise Mr Eyitayo Jegede to do his findings before committing himself to wild submissions as the government of Akeredolu has improved the standard of education tremendously since he attained the office of the governor of Ondo State.
“It is pitiable to hear Mr Eyitayo Jegede condemn such expedient project as it was on record that he was chairman of the Committee that recommended it for the previous administration of the PDP to undergo the construction of the Dome, but terminated the construction of the ten thousand capacity New Stadium, Owena Water reticulation projects and several other projects embarked on by the administration of Dr. Olusegun Agagu, thereby shortchanging the interest of our youths, majority of the indigenes of the state and, particularly, his people in Akure for a white elephant project that allowed him and his boss personal benefits.
“The good people of Ondo State would recall that Mr Eyitayo Jegede was the Chairman of the State Tenders Board during the Olusegun Mimiko’s administration. The Board was never productive in any way as its activities were far from following due process,” he added.