Angry Radio Listener In Ondo Take Up APC Scribe Over Performance Of Gov. Aiyedatiwa

By Ayodele Oni

An All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart in Ondo state incurred the wrath of people while featuring on a radio programme where he canvassed seven more years for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa before assessing his performance.

The Director of Media And Publicity of the ruling APC in Ondo State, Mr Steve Otaloro had advised the people of Ondo State to give Governor Aiyedatiwa, more time to locate his bearing in governance, saying that the governor did not envisage the sudden death of his principal and was therefore not fully prepared to run the government.

Otaloro made the remark while featuring on Viral 98.5fm Radio Station in Akure on a programme anchored to assess Ondo State in her 50 years of existence.

The mantle of leadership fell on Aiyedatiwa, following the demise of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu while barely three years in office.

After completing the remaining term of late Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa contested and won the governorship election in November 2024 and his subsequent inauguration in February last year.

Assessing the State’s developments under different leadership over the years since its creation, Otaloro agreed that the State had witnessed tremendous developments which called for celebration at her 50th anniversary.

While noting that not much has been done under the current administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Otaloro appealed to the people to exercise patience, adding that the governor as at the time the government fell on his lap, due to the sudden demise of his principal, did not fully prepare for leadership.

He said the governor has seven more years to prove his mettle in leadership and that, what the people should focus on for now is that Ondo State is 50 years old to the glory of God.

“As at the time the government fell on the lap of Aiyedatiwa, he was never fully prepared because no one would have envisaged or prayed that one’s principal should die suddenly.

“But since then, he has been learning governance and I thought people should give him more time to perform. After all, the governor still has about seven more years to prove the stuff he was made of.” Otaloro boasted.

When he was confronted with the milestone projects being commissioned by the Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Ogun State, Steve Otaloro said:

“You cannot compare Ogun State Governor Abiodun, who is doing his seven years in office with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who just finished his first year in office.

“We need to give him more time. He is not fully prepared as at the time he inherited the government of late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu but you can be assured that things will get better in the days ahead.”

And when further asked to mention one or two specific developmental projects which the governor has completed since his inauguration two years ago, the APC Media Director said:

“To be honest with you, I was not coming to talk about the developmental strides which the governor has made today, otherwise I would have equipped myself with some of these things.

“But I only come in the celebration mood that our dear sunshine State has turned fifty. And this is sincerely, worth the celebration.”

Callers during the programme however cautioned the media director against being unduly angry and requested him to state what the government under his party is doing to raise the bar of governance in Ondo State.

Dismissing Otaloro’s flimsy excuse that the governor has only spent one year in office, they asked if the governor had three different identities as a deputy governor for three years, Executive Governor, who completed late Akeredolu’s tenure for over one year and now the Executive Governor on a new mandate for another four years.