PDP Slams Gov Aiyedatiwa Over Appointment Of 344 Aides – Independent Newspaper Nigeria
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the forthcoming November 16 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, criticized Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for appointing 344 aides as SSAs and SAs, alleging it was a strategy to influence the election.
Ajayi raised suspicions that the hasty appointments of aides, just three months before the election, appeared to be a tactic to mobilize support for the APC.
Aiyedatiwa had mentioned on Friday that the appointments were distributed across the 18 local government areas, 33 local council development areas, and 203 political wards in the state, emphasizing that the appointments would improve governance efficiency.
Ajayi, in a statement released by his campaign organization’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, asserted that this strategy would not succeed in the state on November 16. He criticized the appointments as illegal, stating that the aides were assigned without clear duties.
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Moreover, Ajayi highlighted that the substantial funds allocated to these newly appointed aides would be a wasteful expenditure amidst the economic challenges faced by the people.
He said: “The appointment on Friday of 344 aides is a ridiculous action of a governor who is at sea over choices to make for the advancement of our state, confused largely over what should extend the frontiers of our development but chose to prosecute petty partisanship desires at the expense of good government.
“To appoint 344 aides with no specific governmental responsibilities and defined functions is criminal, particularly when due cognisance is taken of the fact that their remuneration per month is going to cost the government about N1.2 billion.
“In fact, their number and resources to be expended on them are enough to begin a new ministry. We declare that it is ridiculous and wrong for Lucky Aiyedatiwa to appoint APC Ward Canvesers as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants; Ondo State has never been this unlucky.”