The immediate past governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend accused his successor’s government of pursuing anti-people policies and making life difficult for the common man through his policies.
Mimiko who stated this during the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) campaign tour in Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government during the campaign tour of Hon Alfred Agboola Ajayi as governor, accused Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration of betraying the people who voted him into power in 2016.
Mimiko who described his successor in office, as a disappointment to the people of the state, said power had gone into the wrong hands, urging people to speak with their voice to remove him.
He frowned over the cancellation of his free health scheme and increase in tuition fees paid by tertiary institutions in the state, saying Akeredolu’s government is anti-people.
He also lamented the failure of Akeredolu to build on the successes recorded in the health and education sectors during his tenure as Governor.
He wondered why Akeredolu led administration cancelled free health services and free education in primary and secondary levels noting that any government that fails to prioritize education and health is anti-people.
Mimiko who said he had worked with three governors in the state before becoming governor of the state for eight years, said Akeredolu government has failed the people of the state in all critical sectors affecting the well-being of the people.
ALSO READ: World Tourism Day: Nigeria to leverage tourism for rural development ― Lai Mohammed
According to him, the government of Akeredolu’s claim to performance is nothing but falsehood as all indices indicated that the people of the state have been denied the dividends of democracy.
“There is no person that will say he has not performed. But how do we differentiate performance? Any government that has not democratised education is a bad government.
“This government that hiked school fee is a bad government. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people. Anybody that votes Akeredolu is selling his children future.
“Any government that does not make health free is your enemy. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people by cancelling mother and child and free health for children.
“Any time they come here to campaign for votes ask him, where is our shuttle buses? Where is our abiye? The government that cancelled trauma centre is your enemy.
“This government has not performed, he is anti-people. Any government that fails to democratise access to education, health and other essentials services to the people is not a good government,” he said.
The ZLP national leader also condemned the cancellation of the Accident Emergency Scheme which was established by his administration to reduce the number of deaths on express roads around Ondo State.
He urged the people to vote out the anti-people government and vote for Agboola Ajayi and Gboye Adegbenro as Governor and Deputy governor on the platform of the ZLP.
But in a swift reaction, the spokesperson of Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization, Mr Olabode Richard Olatunde, described Mimiko’s claim as laughable, saying the present administration in the state is still clearing the rot left behind by Mimiko.
Olatunde said it’s unfortunate that a governor that sacked over 10,000 workers in the state is calling the Akeredolu administration an anti-people government.
He said “It’s on record that governor Akeredolu since inception in office has not sacked anyone in the state workforce either at the local or state level.
“Those lectures that were sacked unjustly at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko are still alive to bear witness to the anti-people government of Mimiko in this state.
“These workers were only reinstated by Akeredolu. Because of Politics, Mimiko killed the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH) What’s more anti-people than the actions of Mimiko in abandoning tye various projects left behind by the late Olusegun Agagu?
He said further that “the Akeredolu administration came and realized Mimiko only have two mothers and child hospital in the whole of the state and Akeredolu has now expanded it from two to seven and they are now across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“As we speak, work is ongoing at the Teaching hospital both in Ondo and Akure. Akeredolu has introduced the Contributory Health Scheme which has also brought about free health care service for children under the age of five and pregnant women.
“So, on health, Akeredolu has surpassed Mimiko in achievements, just as the Akeredolu administration has recorded significant stride in education and people’s welfare.
and then