Ondo former deputy governor and gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the November 2024 gubernatorial election, Honourable Agboola Ajayi, has condemned the rising spates of insecurity in the state, tagging it unfortunate, condemnable and tamable.
The former deputy governor in a statement he personally signed and released on Wednesday, and to which he attached a video, tackled what he described as the ‘sloppiness and lethargy’ of Governor Aiyedatiwa in arresting the menace.
He further stated that the regrettable narrative is evidence that the governor was unprepared for governance.
According to Ajayi, “While I condemn the sloppiness and lethargy with which Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is conducting the affairs of our State, it completely underscores his ill-preparedness and incompetence to be in the saddle.
“I wish to call attention to my campaign manifesto where I canvassed for new thinking in solving security challenges and urged absolute proactive measures to solve them, I equally laid emphasis on the lethargic approach of Mr Aiyedatiwa during the Governorship debate, a clip of which is attached.
“The need to take full grip of this crisis cannot be delayed a day longer, I therefore call on the Governor to seek help and take actions that will take Ondo State back from the grip of invading bandits forthwith.”
Ajayi recounted how he worked assiduously with Late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to put plans and strategies in place to ensure Ondo State was safe then. He lamented that the gains of those periods have begun to whittle down since Aiyedatiwa took over the mantle of leadership.
“Let me underscore the fact that the security challenge confronting Ondo State is not an entirely new development, but Governments before the present have adeptly managed this odious crisis and disallowed it to fester to the level it is today.
“While I was deputy Governor of Ondo State between 2017-2021, working dutifully alongside my late boss, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, we developed a robust plan, and implemented actions that put banditry and criminality in check. We stopped outrightly open grazing of cattles by herdsmen and sanity ruled.
Unfortunately the gains of that era have been allowed to slip away and the people are now in pain!” Ajayi said.
Ajayi insisted that Governor Aiyedatiwa should channel the billions of naira he receives as security votes every month into providing adequate security for the people.
Ultimately, Ajayi advised the people of Ondo State to take their destinies into their hands and defend themselves against the marauders until the Aiyedatiwa Administration jerks back to life.
