26th July, 2014
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Osun state on Friday 25 July alleged that governors of Rivers, Lagos, Osun, Edo and other states under the control of All Progressives Congress (APC) helped state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, pay workers’ salaries.
The claim was contained in a statement by PDP chairman, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa. He said the APC governors’ helped Aregbesola’s government pay July salaries, adding that, Aregbesola lacked respect for the welfare of workers.
“We wonder for how long the APC governors will continue to bail out Aregbesola and his government, which has mortgaged the state through needless debts and loans despite having no tangible achievement to show for the excessive borrowing in the last three years and eight months,” the statement read.
The PDP warned civil servants in the state not to be deceived by Aregbesola’s “eleventh hour payment of salary through subventions from APC states,” stating that it was unsustainable and was at best targeted at hoodwinking the workforce to vote for the APC.
“We doubt if a government that failed to contribute to the statutory pension of its hardworking workforce and still used the workers’ contribution as collateral for needless borrowing can be trusted as it faced rejection from the people ahead of a governorship election.”
Reacting to the claims of PDP, Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola’s media aide said the allegations were ludicrous. He said despite the state’s meagre resources, the welfare of workers and all indigenes/residents of the state was top priority to the government.
“Long before now, without even anticipating the shenanigans of PDP-led Federal Government, Osun, under Aregbesola, despite its meagre resources, had put in place a financial mechanism that would guarantee survival and stability under whatever hardship that might be brought upon our state either by man or nature.
“The PDP and its allies had orchestrated what they believed to be a financial emasculation and financial asphyxiation of the government of Aregbesola in the build up to the election, hoping that denying Osun what is rightfully its, will cripple the state government and make Osun people to turn against Aregbesola and the APC.
“But to their chagrin, they have found out that this state has survived all onslaughts. We must give credit to the financial wizardry, foresightedness of Rauf Aregbesola and his entire team.
“That is why the PDP should know that the APC is different from it. And that is why the people will ensure the continuity of the Rauf Aregbesola administration. All allegations of any sort are just a figment of their imagination.”