Akeredolu Opens Up On Alleged Embezzlement Of COVID-19 Funds

The Peoples Democratic Party has been urged to play issue-based politics and stop the spread of misinformation.

The warning was given by the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who currently is facing accusations that he was not ready to account for the COVID-19 funds.

Akeredolu made this known while fielding request by PDP through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbodiyan.

Akeredolu had been asked to account for the funds donated to the state by corporate organisations and individuals in order to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

It alleged that the governor of “condoning corruption and wicked embezzlement of public funds”.

The party said the governor could not account for over N700 million intervention fund Claiming that “Indeed, any clean, transparent and upright administration that had not soiled its hand and which has the interest of the people at heart, would have ordered an open investigation, secure and channel the resources to the wellbeing of the people.”

Reacting however, Akeredolu noted that the bank statement of the COVID-19 response funds has been forwarded to an Abuja-based Social Accountability Organisation, Follow The Money International.

This he said while also urging the PDP to consult the organisation for a copy of the statement.

According to Akeredolu, if the full bank statement is made available to the public, it will show that he has nothing to hide.

He also challenged PDP to advise governors elected on its platform to tow his pact.

Displaying the response of the Ondo State Government to the organisation who requested the details of the donations and how the funds were expended, Akeredolu also said his administration is rated four out of the 36 states of the federation by the World Bank’s Fiscal Transparency and Sustainability Index.

Responding to the PDP through his verified twitter handle, @RotimiAkeredolu, the governor said, “Reach out to @4lowthemoney. We already gave them the entire bank statement.

“We are not 4th in the World Bank’s Fiscal Transparency and Sustainability Index for nothing. We have nothing to hide.”