About N400 billion could not be accounted for by the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Jamiu Ekungba has alleged.
According to the politician, “Ondo State has, in the last seven and a half years, collected over N600 billion from the Federation Account but we cannot, see tangible development that is reflective of the huge receipts.”
But the state government, in a swift reaction, described Ekungba’s allegation as “a figment of his imagination that should not be taken seriously by right-minded people.”
Ondo Commissioner for Information Kayode Akinmade, said: “It has become the stock in trade of APC politicians to want to pull Mimiko down by all means. This is one of their outbursts to carry out their plans but we are undaunted.”
The APC chief, an accountant and former banker, who is also aspiring to emerge as the candidate of the party in the forthcoming November 26 governorship election in the state, alleged that the incumbent governor has ran the state aground.
He said, “I have records that show that Ondo had collected over N600 billion under this administration. They claimed that they are paying N4 billion as wage bill. In 84 months that they are going to be in office, the total wage would have cost N336 billion.
“That gives us a balance of N264 billion. Add that to what would have been received in forms of loans, bonds, Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and other sources, you are going to have something in the range of N400 billion.
“Of course, the government still has about seven months to stay in office to collect more money even while it is owing about six months salary arrears to workers. The economy of the state is in deep trouble because of the profligacy of a governor that met over N36 billion in the coffers at his inauguration.”
The APC chief also accused the state government of squandering many opportunities to develop the state through pursuits of parochial interests and lack of genuine commitment to the welfare of the people.
According to him, a case in point is the relocation of the multi-billion Dangote Refinery from Ondo to Lagos. The project, which is coming on stream very soon with all the socio-economic benefits, was initially located in Ondo, but the Mimiko administration allowed that great project to slip away.”
