The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State expressed disappointment with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s alleged lack of progress in governance during his eight months in office. Wale Ayeni, the Convener of Ekiti PDP Progressives, pointed out that the governor had not appointed commissioners or the Chief of Staff, and had not addressed other urgent needs of the state since assuming office in October of the previous year.
During a meeting of PDP leaders and members aimed at repositioning the opposition party in the state, Ayeni stated that the current administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not delivering substantial dividends of democracy to the people. He emphasized that government should extend beyond paying salaries and repairing roads solely in the state capital.
Ayeni, a prominent member of the PDP, claimed that the Oyebanji government was influenced by a godfather figure. He also stated that they were aware of the governor’s need for assistance and that if he sought their help, they would provide it. The main objective, according to Ayeni, was to ensure good governance, which he believed was currently lacking in Ekiti State.
“If you are contesting an election, you must have a definite agenda and programmes, but someone has been in office for eight months without a clear direction and focus. We need genuine development in Ekiti State. Except for the fact that the governor is trying to hide something, by now we should know the state’s debt and how much he inherited from the last administration.
“This is the first time in the history of the state that a governor will constitute a committee to start looking for people who will become commissioners; it is not done anywhere,” he said.
However, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, dismissed PDP’s assertions, saying that “Oyebanji’s government is focused, on course, and meeting the people’s yearnings and aspirations.
“What the governor has been doing in the state capital is not patching roads but urban renewal. The PDP may not know this because they didn’t do it. It is beyond the roads; when you move around, you will see. It is the business of the government to maintain infrastructure and guarantee security. I want to say that payment of salaries and pensions are dividends of democracy. The PDP chose what they see.”
