By Bukola Badmus, Abeokuta
Mainstream support group for Ondo State Governor , His Excellency Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers (LACO-FS) on Friday described as highly disappointing, an accusation by six federal lawmakers from the state, that the governor was sidelining loyalists of his former boss, the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN CON.
The six All Progressives Congress' House of Representatives members had in a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, claimed that they had written to President Bola Tinubu, to complain that Aiyedatiwa was segregating against loyalists of the late Governor Akeredolu.
But in a swift reaction, the LACO-FS in a statement by its Director-General, Chief Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, described the accusation as sheer concoction, composed only by falsehood.
In the statement issued through the State Director of Information, Mr Kayode Fasua, Ogunleye urged the six APC lawmakers "not to stand the truth on the head in the name of a political game; knowing deeply within them that the accusation against Mr. Governor is sheer concoction, composed only by falsehood".
"If they are accusing Aiyedatiwa of persecuting loyalists to the late Akeredolu, how come he has not dissolved all the boards and parastatals constituted by the late former governor ?
"The leadership of the House of Assembly which came into being in the Akeredolu era, led by Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji and the deputy speaker, is in place and there has been a cordial relationship between the legislative and executive arm under Governor Aiyedatiwa."
Besides, Yusuf-Ogunleye remarked that while Aiyedatiwa recently dissolved his cabinet to re-jig his new administration, the first set of six commissioners and special advisers nominated all served in the cabinet of the late Akeredolu.
He cited those concerned to include Mr. Igbasan, a two-term commissioner for Budget and Planning under Akeredolu; Mr Oseni Olaniyi, former Special Adviser on Environment; Mrs Olamide Falana, Special Adviser on Gender; Mr. Akin Sowore, former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and Engnr. Razaq Obe, former Commissioner for Energy.
He also sneered at the aggrieved lawmakers for describing the new Ondo State deputy governor, Mr. Adelami as Akeredolu's arch-enemy, wondering if Adelami who had donated his building for Akeredolu's governorship campaigns could be classified as the late former governor's enemy, much less an arch-enemy.
Yusuf-Ogunleye thus urged the federal lawmakers not to allow themselves to be used to feather the nest of any governorship aspirant ahead of the coming APC primaries, but team up with the governor to promote good governance in the state, in this critical time.
"We want to urge our brothers in the House of Representatives to return home and align with their subjects and the electorate that voted for them, instead of staying in Abuja to write based on hearsays.
"If the governor is not in tune with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker widely believed to be die-hard Akeredolu loyalists, could he have released brand new official jeep to them each only last week, just to enhance their legislative functions?
"Aiyedatiwa, unknown to them, does not keep malice as they imagine or probably do," Ogunleye quipped.
The LACO-FS boss, however, noted that under Governor Aiyedatiwa, the APC structure in Ondo State had been strengthened and the leadership of the party under Engnr Ade Adetimehin few days ago, met with Governor Aiyedatiwa for interactions.
"It is also on record that major appointees of the former Governor had met with the governor, pledging their loyalty and more interesting are now leaders of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers which is being coordinated by myself, Akeredolu's former commissioner for works and infrastructure," Yusuf-Ogunleye countered.
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