Ondo PDP Insists Gov Akeredolu Must Resume Or Resign,Says Enough Of Vacuum Of Leadership

By Ayodele Oni

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has reacted to an early Monday morning siege at the entrance of its office in Akure by security agents thus disallowing workers to resume work.

A statement by the party’s spokesman, Kenedy Peretei stated that “As early as 6.00 am this morning, a combined team of Police, SSS men and Anti-cultists Unit of the Nigerian Police stormed the Ondo State PDP Secretariat with Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), more than 8 Hilux vehicles and nearly 400 men in all to seal off the secretariat in order to stall a PDP Youth Wing protest to demand the whereabouts of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu who has not been seen in Ondo State since April this year.

“Even staff of the secretariat were denied access to their offices. The stern-looking officers offered no explanations.

“However, it took frantic efforts of members of the PDP State Working Committee before the secretariat gate was opened amidst serious tension and confrontation.

“Photo Journalists were threatened to stop recording anything lest, their cameras were smashed. But as the PDP youths forced themselves into the secretariat, proceeding on a street protest would amount to daring the trigger-happy police to do their worst.

“As much as the officers tried to stop the protest, they failed because the youths displayed their banners and placards to Journalists who gained entrance into the secretariat.

“As we speak, the policemen are still in front of the secretariat with their vehicles. I want to use this medium to appeal to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command to immediately withdraw their men from our secretariat.

“We cannot be intimidated by security agents who are paid with taxpayers’ money. We have the right to demand for the whereabouts of the governor if he is missing in action.

“Early yesterday, the APC spokesman in a fear-laden statement accused the PDP of instigating crisis in Ondo State.

“We make bold to say that the presence of the security men is not unconnected with the APC’s fear of its shadow and their  failure to get Akeredolu to come to Ondo State for the assignment he was elected for.

“Let it be known to all, that we shall continue to demand for Akeredolu to resume or resign until either is achieved.

“We were really embarrassed because the security agencies were fully notified because we don’t want a situation whereby PDP will be responsible for a breakdown of law and order.”

Another chieftain of PDP, Tayo Akintade, noted that “It is no longer gain saying that in the last nine months, there has been vacuum of leadership in Ondo State. Sometimes in April, the people of the state agitated and that led us to having an acting governor.

“We were also aware of what transpired when Aiyedatiwa was acting in his stead. That isn’t even our problem because it’s an internal issue but since 32 days ago that the governor arrived  from his three-month medical leave in Germany, we’ve not seen the governor anywhere near the state.

“And yet, we’ve been hearing of Akeredolu passing bills into law by proxy and this is what informed the protest by the youth wing of PDP in the state.

“We can no longer continue like this. We are the voice of the people, we are the voice of the masses.

“We are saying, Mr Governor must resume back to duty, he can no longer govern us by proxy, we can no longer be hearing that he’s one thing or the other when we’ve not sighted him. We know the governor we have, if he’s truly fit, we would have sighted him in the streets of Akure.

“The youth wing of the party is giving Mr Governor the next 24 hours to address the people of Ondo State and we are giving him three days ultimatum resume back to the state.

“We’ve been seeing series of responses from the APC that the governor will join us in days time. We are giving him three days ultimatum to address us and if he fails, we as the opposition party will occupy the streets of Akure and we will continue to demand that he either resume or resign.”