By Lai Mahmood
Engr Oyedele Hakeem Alao, chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Oyo State, has fired back at the state Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (DP), Mr Akeem Olatunji, over his statement on the allegation of inflation of the Oyo workforce and wage bill figures given by Governor Seyi Makinde in the United States of America some weeks back, where he (Olatunji) described Hakeem Alao as a minion, uninformed and confused.
In a swift reaction in a statement signed by Omotayo Iyanda, the head of Oyedele Hakeem Alao Media Office, Alao wondered why an engineer of international repute like him who has earned recognition globally and has never engaged in bunkering or unclean deals would be described as such for demanding explanation on the staggering figures about the number of Oyo State workforce and their wage bill given by Governor Makinde in the US.
He said that, “With a bit of appreciation to the state secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has responded to the call on their leader” for explanation, “it is, however, sad that the party, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Akeem Olatunji, has not really seen anything wrong in the way Governor Makinde lumped the figures of the workforce and the wage bill of both the local government and the state together.”
The statement expressed disappointment that Mr Olatunji digressed from the sanity of the allegation concerning inflation of figures by the governor to the dirty politics of the yore labelling the past administration.
Hakeem Alao, via the statement, maintained that it was wrong for Governor Makinde to lump figures of both the state and all the local governments as he echoes, “We, hereby state that it is unethical and an attempt to becloud and play a fast game with figures on the residents of the state by lumping the figures together as doing so is against the principle of accounting and auditing.
“The PDP state Publicity Secretary should know that government is not a family enterprise. So, it is wrong to claim that “Governor Makinde was in order” to lump figures together as a “father” of the state. Everybody knows his father in his family. In this context, the matter of “fatherism” does not arise at all. We should begin to put record straight if indeed we are educated.
“The Team OHA is uninterested whether Akeem Olatunji or his principal and their other co-travellers would uncover how the past government bloated the Oyo State workforce figure, or whether APC has anything against PDP. Our concern is sanity and sanctity of running a sincere transparent government for a genuine development of the state and the benefits of its citizens and residents.”
“What debarred Governor Makinde to give the clear breakdown of the figures at such a forum if he was to be transparent? Instead of pointing the error or fallacy of fact the governor committed so he would be more open and transparent next time to forestall unwarranted debate and suspicion as this, Mr Olatunji, like a typical Nigerian political sycophant, adopted abusive and diversionary tactics, an approach which has become outdated in the media, publicity and image management.
“How can a truly trained 21st century digital age image maker describe every attempt by an opposition or whoever, even when it is genuine and sensible, as “unwarranted attack(s), mischievous, devious and campaign of calumny” as stated by Mr Olatunji in his statement on this matter? Instead of calling people names, why can’t Mr Olatunji find a more learned civilized and mature way of handling matters as this because people will continue talking and that is the beauty of democracy and it is all for checks and balances.”
Hakeem Alao submitted, “Well, it should not be a surprise if Mr Olatunji was talking the way he did. What is more to expect from a beneficiary of all the forgery, bribery and shortchanging that went on at the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja where the leadership of the party were bought over by the reckless spender after duly conducted state congress at the approved venue, Watershed, Saw Mill, Ibadan, the exco which is the foundation of the present government in the state?
“Sure, something built on falsehood will continue to struggle to survive on falsehood. It is the height of insincerity and disappointment for an “educated” person like Mr Olatunji to still be saying “one Mr Hakeem Alao was claiming to be a candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Oyo State” when INEC had recognised Oyedele Hakeem Alao (OHA) as the authentic and nationally recognised candidate of AD in the last gubernatorial election in the state, and not the political jobber who has now taken refuge under the present unprepared Makinde’s coalition administration.”
Mr Iyanda, the head of OHA Media Hub, stated that Mr Olatunji was wrong to have described an international acclaimed engineer as a minion, uninformed and confused as the statement reads, “Hakeem Alao cannot be uninformed or confused unless Mr Olatunji, their party’s leader and their other co-travellers deliberately planned to deceive the people of the state to con them by twisting figures.
“Oyedele Hakeem Alao is a sound qualified international engineer who has earned recognition globally and has never engaged in bunkering or any shady deals. Oyedele Hakeem Alao is comfortable, a completely independent-minded man and cannot be acting in subservience to any authority. So, Mr Akeem Olatunji is wrong to have described an internationally recognised engineer overseeing multimillion dollars companies off the shores of Nigeria as “uninformed” and “confused”. How can any reasonable person describe a personality of this grandeur as attention-seeking?
“In our press release of Wednesday, 11 March, 2019, which was the first eye opener on the cleverness of Governor Makinde in the US, we categorically stated that the governor lumped the figures of the labour force and the wage bill of the state and the local government together and regarded the action as “illogical and preposterous”.
“Therefore, how can someone who is confused and uninformed make such a statement in his earliest release on the matter? Mr Olatunji, as far as this matter is concerned, has only succeeded in rabble rousing as a typical Nigerian politician.”
On the allusion of Mr Olatunji describing the PDP-Makinde-led government as competent in running a state government and of integrity, the statement by Iyanda reads, “Indeed, Mr Akeem Olatunji’s party and leadership is a master in running a state government and that is why their government has earned a laurel in policy reverse and somersault, perhaps their team always act before thinking.
“Talking about integrity, what integrity is in a leader who corners every contract and project by awarding it to his agents and cronies? Where is integrity when you cannot honour a gentlemanly agreement reached with the main coalition forces ahead of the March 2019 governorship election and behaving like another emperor after the exit of one? Where is the integrity when you abandon the leaders and elder statesmen that worked for your victory?”
The statement concluded that, “The Team OHA is uninterested whether Akeem Olatunji or his principal and their other co-travellers would uncover how the past government bloated the Oyo State workforce figure, or whether APC has anything against PDP. Our concern is sanity and sanctity of running a sincere transparent government for a genuine development of the state and the benefits of its citizens and residents.”
