Bitumen exploration in Ondo State is a scam, says Adetula

Don’t tamper with our candidate list, APC youths warn

Contrary to expectations of the people that the Ondo State government would soon begin bitumen exploration in the state, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Bukola Adetula, has described it as a wild goose chase. He unravelled some of the hindrances and fundamental hiccups facing the state government led by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in the bid to explore it, saying that it does not have economic advantage for the nation.

According to him: “I led a group of bitumen investors many years ago from here to Canada. I laughed when I read reports on bitumen exploration. The Canadians came, did all sort of tests here and have all the scientific r

“Are there exploration steps taking place at all? Has the current administration done any test? If so, let them say? Don’t jump into the exploration stage when they have not evaluated what we have there to know if it is economically viable.”He, however, advised that the nation should reconcile with the Canadian government over the misdemeanor of past government and leveraged on their scientific know-how to utilise the resources.

In another development, the APC youths in the state have raised an alarm that the leadership of the party was planning to alter the result of the just-concluded councillorship primaries, warning of the consequences. This was contained in a petition written by the youths to the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, claiming that the rightful winner of Ipele Ward 7 in Owo Local Council was Bola Orisadare.

The Youth Leader of the ward, Yakubu Jimoh, while speaking with newsmen yesterday, alleged that the state Women Leader of the party, Renike Witherspoon and some leaders of the ward had perfected plans to change the name of the winner.

According to him: “We condemn any action by some leaders of the APC that might jeopardise the efforts of the people who stood their ground and voted for his victory.”Jimoh, therefore, warned the leaders of imminent danger of changing the name of the candidate at the state electoral commission’s office.

Meanwhile, several attempts to speak with Witherspoon were to no avail as her lines were not reachable, but the state Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, assured that all complaints would be addressed accordingly by the party.