The Vice Chairman South West of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kamorudeen Ajisafe, has slammed the Federal Government over the continued withholding of the local government allocations meant for councils in Osun State, describing the development as an offence against humanity.
Ajisafe also opined that President Bola Tinubu has not reciprocated the good gesture extended to him by Governor Ademola Adeleke, adding that the federal government is depriving Osun people of their fundamental rights to funds and welfare because of politics.
Reacting to the funds’ seizure in a chat with journalists yesterday, the PDP chieftain stressed that Governor Adeleke should be given credit for the way he has handled the finances of the state despite the absence of local government allocations.
“Ademola Adeleke of Osun has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second term. Isn’t it the same President that is withholding Osun State local government funds?” Ajisafe wondered.
“The people of the state are not fools. If not that the Adeleke family is strong morally and financially, and the governor is committed to good governance, how would the state have survived the blockade?”
The PDP stalwart posited that Adeleke has been depriving himself of many things to make the state better, stating that the governor is not taking security votes and has been travelling on his family’s private jets.
He noted that Governor Adeleke has been saving money to do all the projects in the state, adding that he has also been paying the half-salary the APC government owed workers, despite the LG funds’ seizure.
“If Nigeria was the nation you and I expect it to be, nobody would have been able to seize the LG funds. You are depriving a lot of people of their fundamental rights to funds and welfare because of politics. That is an offence against mankind,” he declared.
While speaking on whether Governor Adeleke acted rightly by adopting Tinubu for a second term despite the seizure of the state LG funds, the vice chairman said: “I wouldn’t blame him for that. It is clear that the governor means well for them, but they don’t mean well for him. Lagos State local government funds were seized many years back, but the state got it back.
“Today, the Lagos State governor then is now the President of the country. We don’t have to go to the Quran or Bible to preach righteousness. Let’s leave everything to God Almighty.”
