The governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has come under fire for spending millions of naira on official vehicles for himself and other government officials, despite the poor economic situation in the country.
On Monday, the governor presented new cars to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, and his Deputy, Abayomi Akinruntan, as a show of support for the legislative arm.
He also announced plans to procure more vehicles and gadgets for the security agencies in the state, saying it was part of his efforts to improve safety and mobility.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the governor was committed to supporting security agencies with necessary tools and resources. He also said the governor had provided palliatives and shuttle buses to civil servants and students to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
“We will support our security agencies by providing tools for them, more importantly, more operational vehicles for them to be able to move around, enabling them to navigate diverse terrains and respond swiftly to security threats.
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“The provision of palliatives to alleviate the effects of fuel subsidy removal and the provision of shuttle buses to civil servants and students exemplify the government’s dedication to supporting the people,” he said.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, thanked the governor for keeping his word, and said the vehicles would boost their legislative duties and strengthen their relationship with other arms of government.
However, the governor’s lavish spending on cars has drawn criticism from some public servants, who accused him of misusing state resources for his political ambition. In January, a group called Concerned Ondo Public Servants (COPS) alleged that the governor was diverting funds meant for development projects to his campaign for the 2024 governorship election.
“Decisions and policies are now driven solely by political ambition and self-interest. We are deeply alarmed by the governor’s spending habits and the manner in which state resources are being utilized,” the group said.
The Head of Service, however, dismissed the allegation as false and baseless, and said the group was non-existent and the names attached to it were fictitious. He said the governor was working hard to deliver on his promises to the people of Ondo State.
The State government had earlier presented new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) cars to 30 Permanent Secretaries in October last year, and also given cars to members of the state House of Assembly during a political crisis that rocked the government last year. The 2023 budget had allocated N429 million for the luxury spending on cars.