A pro-democracy advocate and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Mrs. Abimbola Olajumoke, has sharply criticised the state Governor, Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji claiming that the government has wasted three years in office with nothing to show the people in terms of development or empowerment despite receiving billions of Naira from the Federation Account.
Olajumoke accused the administration of flagrantly squandering N50 billion provided by the Federal Government for increased agricultural production in the state last year and wondered why the government should still claim legitimacy and remain in office as if nothing happened.
The social critic, who is the first woman to emerge as a governorship aspirant in Ekiti State this year, made these remarks on Tuesday while addressing newsmen at the APC National Secretariat soon after picking the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to participate in the APC primary election coming up later in the year.
She accused the governor of using every tactic, including security agencies, to intimidate her into submission and silence declaring: “I am not afraid of any man. If I can fight a sitting governor to a standstill, no man can intimidate me into silence. Even former Governor Ayodele Fayose tried but he failed.”
Olajumoke commended the Federal Government for effectively funding the state and while particularly praising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reconstructing dilapidated, old roads reconstructed and the new ones that were built, she faulted the state governor for choosing to dance to the drum beats of a cabal that has governed the state since 1999 without moving the state forward.
“The Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has done a lot for the state but what the governor has done cannot be equated to the amount received. There are no projects anywhere for the humongous amount of money received every month.
“You will agree with me that if a state receives N50billion for agriculture, by now, that state should be feeding the entire western zone but this is not the case with Ekiti State. As it is today, we do not even have a tubber of yam in any farm for the state to use as a bragging right. Where has the money gone to,” she queried.
The aspirant accused the governor of using intimidation against her and other critics in a bid to silence people from talking about bad governance adding however that the truth must be told nomatter the danger.
“A particular cabal has been in power in the state since 1999 and there has been nothing from them to show for their dominance. When I voiced out about the huge amounts being received for nothing from the Federal Government, three weeks ago, the governor petitioned me to the DSS and I went to see them with the certified true copies of all the money the state has received since the governor came to office.”
While accusing the government of intentionally weaponising poverty to keep the people down, Olajumoke promised to transform Ekiti State into a modern state, uplift the living standards of the people by providing better road network, improved education, better water supply and other necessary infrastructure and empowerment programmes within six months in office if she wins the governorship election.
“People are calling for a change of the cabal that has been in government for a long time with nothing to show. I am promising that I will bring good governance that will focus attention on the welfare of the people. Give me six months and all the bad roads will be motorable while other challenges facing the state will also be tackled,” Olajumoke declared.
By Peter Anayo
