APC chieftain, Ondo government trade words over state finances

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT), Jamiu Ekungba, alleged that Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has been unable to account for about N400 billion.

According to the politician, “Ondo State has, in the last seven and a half years, collected over N600 billion from the federation accounts but we cannot, in all sincerity, see tangible development that is reflective of the huge receipts.”

But the state government, in a swift reaction, described Ekungba’s allegation as “a figment of his imagination that should not be taken seriously by right-minded people.”

The state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, while speaking for the state said, “it has become the stock in trade of APC politicians to want to pull the governor down by all means. This is one of their outbursts to carry out their plans but we are undaunted.”

While speaking with The Guardian yesterday, the APC chief, an accountant and former banker, who is also aspiring to emerge as the candidate of the party in the forthcoming November 26 governorship election in the state, alleged that the incumbent governor has ran the state aground.

He said, “I have records to show that Ondo had collected over N600 million under this administration. They claimed that they are paying N4 billion as wage bill. In 84 months that they are going to be in office, the total wage would have cost N336 billion.

“That gives us a balance of N264 billion. Add that to what would have been received in forms of loans, bonds, Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and other sources, you are going to have something in the range of N400 billion.

“Of course, the government still has about seven months to stay in office to collect more money even while it is owing about six months salary arrears to workers. The economy of the state is in deep trouble because of the profligacy of a governor that met over N36 billion in the coffers at his inauguration.”