Ondo APC, PDP clash over budget padding allegation
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Monday, demanded the removal of the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, over allegations of budget padding in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
However, the ruling All Progressives Congress dismissed the accusations, stating that the PDP lacked a proper understanding of budgetary processes.
Isaac and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, are the only two commissioners remaining in the state cabinet after Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa recently dismissed other members in preparation for his new administration’s inauguration on February 24, 2025.
In a statement on Monday, the PDP Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, called for Isaac’s removal, alleging that she had abused her office.
“The Ondo State 2025 Appropriation Act contains some scandalous items in the office of the Commissioner for Finance, which have been the subject of public agitation in the last two weeks,” Peretei said.
He criticised the government’s silence on the matter, suggesting complicity in the alleged budget padding.
“The N11.5bn security vote in the Ministry of Finance captured in the 2025 approved budget has not been explained to the people of the state, despite the public outcry. The provision of N250m as honorarium and sitting allowance in the ministry is another padded item in the budget for the enjoyment and pleasure of the commissioner.
Perhaps, the most insensitive of the items is the procurement of one number of Toyota Prado SUV for the commissioner at a princely sum of N230m,” the PDP statement read.
Peretei argued that Isaac’s claimed credentials as a UK-trained accountant were meaningless if she was overseeing financial mismanagement.
He also questioned the silence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after it initially arrived in the state following the budget controversy.
But in response, APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Steve Otaloro, rejected the PDP’s claims, describing them as baseless.
“The All Progressives Congress, Ondo State chapter, categorically rejects the unfounded allegations made by the PDP regarding the integrity of Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, the Commissioner for Finance. The assertions presented by the PDP are not only misleading but also demonstrate a troubling lack of understanding of the budgetary process and the responsibilities of government officials,” he stated.
Otaloro clarified that budget preparation is handled solely by the Ministry of Budget and Planning, not the finance commissioner.
“Mrs. Isaac, as the Commissioner for Finance, plays no role in the direct formulation of budgetary allocations, and any insinuation that she has padded the 2025 budget is entirely false,” he said.
The APC further defended the controversial budget items, stating that the security vote and honorarium allocations were part of a broader strategy to enhance governance and public safety.
“The details of the budget, including justifications for these allocations, are publicly available and can be reviewed by any interested party,” Otaloro added.
