I have nothing to hide over alleged diverted Covid-19 Fund –Akeredolu

***PDP wants independent inquiry constituted

The PDP National Campaign Council For Ondo Governorship Election on Sunday charged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to speak out on the alleged diversion of billions of naira COVlD-19 intervention funds received by the state.

A statement by Kola Ologbondiyan Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the PDP said “This demand is predicated on alleged diversion of COVID-19 palliative funds by certain officials of the Akeredolu-led self-serving administration.

This is especially given the conflicting denials by members of the Ondo COVID19 Response Team over the whereabouts of over N700 million intervention fund.

The PDP campaign described as indicting that Governor Akeredolu on whose shoulders the burden of the wellbeing of the people lie had failed to speak out on this alleged fraud.

Indeed any clean transparent and upright administration that had not soiled its hand and which has the interest of the people at heart would have ordered an open investigation secure and channel the resources to the wellbeing of the people.

Given its penchant for condoning corruption and wicked embezzlement of public funds, the APC administration in Ondo state had remained less forthcoming while officials continue with conflicting denials and endiess buckpassing,

Our campaign charges Governor Akeredolu not to wait until his inevitable defeat at the poll to end the corruption in his administration by ordering an open investigation into the N700 million as well as the truth or otherwise in the allegations, in the public space, that the state received 310 million from foreign donors.

This is in addition to the circumstances surrounding the failure of the state to pay certain health workers in the past 15 months, despite their participation in the fight against COVlD-19 in the state.

We challenge Governor Akeredolu to within three days, set up an independent inquiry into these allegations if his administration has no skeleton in itscupboard.

Furthermore, our campaign challenges Governor Akeredolu to account for the proceeds of various levies and taxes collected by his administration,using numerous platforms to fleece the poor masses, including market women. transporters, artisans, small business owners among others in thestate.

It is therefore not surprising that the Ondo people abandoned Governor Akeredolu and pitched their tent with our candidate Eyitayo Jegede SAN, in their collective quest to end the misrule which the Akeredolu administration represents, and no amount of blackmail, threats and violence by the APC will deter the Ondo people in this resolve. ”

In a reaction, Governor Akeredolu debunked the allegations ,saying that his government is transparent to the people of Ondo state.

In his official Twitter account,Akeredolu asked whoever wanted to find any information to tech out to an organization known as Follow the Money.

He said “Reach out to @4lowthemoney. We already gave them the entire bank statement.

We are not 4th in the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability Index for nothing. We have nothing to hide. ”

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