By Comrade Allen Sowore Esq
I write in strong objection to the above article by Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, the Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Of course, Mr. Peretei is within his rights to critique the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in Ondo State. However, insinuating that the entire state is “unlucky” simply because the governor is named Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is a petty and self-defeating argument.
Since the PDP chose to leave the state and ignore media practitioners, along with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ondo State Chapter to release its obsolete seven-point agenda at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos, the party seems to have lost touch with the developments in Ondo State. The hangover from their extended stay at the hotel appears to have left them out of sync with reality.
Mr. Peretei’s attempt to scandalize, undermine, and trivialize the achievements of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, especially in the education sector, misses the mark. The specific issues he raises are misguided, and I will address them one by one.
First, he claims that the number of out-of-school children in the state has increased due to economic hardship. This is simply false. In fact, the free shuttle bus service, revived and expanded under Governor Aiyedatiwa, has encouraged many children to attend school. The joy of riding to school in the morning and returning home safely in the afternoon on these well-maintained buses has been a major incentive for students. I challenge Mr. Peretei to name a PDP-controlled state with a better free school shuttle service. The alleged figure of 250,000 out-of-school children is entirely imaginary.
Second, the State Executive Council has approved N3.5 billion as counterpart funding for the renovation and construction of new classrooms across public schools. This acknowledgment by the PDP is a testament to the governor’s purposeful leadership.
The claim that Governor Aiyedatiwa has increased tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions is both mischievous and untrue. Since taking office on December 27, 2023, the governor has not authorized any increase in fees. In fact, just last week, the governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to the well-being of students and made it clear that no institution should consider raising tuition.
As for the allegation about withholding West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results, after the government had cleared all registration fees and results released with many students gaining admissions with their results. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the public for political gain.
Governor Aiyedatiwa has also taken significant steps to address the teacher shortage in public schools. The recruitment process has been transparent, thorough, and merit-based. Applicants were required to take a computer-based test and undergo an oral interview to ensure that only the best candidates were selected. The PDP may have preferred a haphazard process, but the governor chose a more rigorous approach to secure quality educators for the state’s future leaders.
The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and the State Scholarship Board have both been repositioned for more effective service delivery. The commission and the board have been diligently disbursing bursaries and scholarships to qualified applicants. The so-called “questionable procedure” is actually a system designed to eliminate corruption and prevent payments to ghost students. Bursary and scholarship disbursements are ongoing, with all legitimate claims being processed.
The 2024 governorship election in Ondo State presents a clear choice: between service and servitude, between the people and the elite. Deuteronomy 30:15 says, “I have set before thee this day life and good.” The PDP is free to claim they are unlucky, but they do not speak for all of us. Beyond the wordplay and amphibology on the governor’s name to showcase or display dexterity, we have chosen to stand by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and that decision is irrevocable.
Comrade Allen Sowore Esq
SSA to the Ondo State Governor on Strategic Communication
1st October, 2024
