Aiyedatiwa, group trade words over $180,000 bribery claim

As the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress prepares for the governorship primary, a group within the party has accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of using the state resources to fund his governorship ambition.

The governor, in quick response, however, rubbished the claim, describing it as mischievous.

The group, under the auspicies Ondo State Redemption Initiative alleged that Aiyedatiwa had been wasting the state resources to fund his governorship ambition.

The group, in a statement issued by its President, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, the Secretary, Jide Oriola, and the Publicity Secretary, Sunday Ayeni, alleged that Aiyedatiwa had set aside $180m to “buy phantom endorsement.”

“Desperate effort by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State to offer $10,000  to each member of the state Assembly for endorsement has been exposed.

“The plot, according to inside sources, will involve a trip by 18 lawmakers from the state to accompany the governor to the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress during which they will stage the endorsement.

“Aiyedatiwa is desperately going round for endorsements. The latest is a plan to get 18 lawmakers from the state to accompany him to the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja where they will endorse him.

“But since he knew that he could not get the 18 members to do the dirty job, he has offered each member $18,000, believing that the money would be too tempting to reject.”

But the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Mr Sunday Abire, denied the allegation, saying it was a plot by members of the opposition to distract the governor.

“Why will the governor bribe the Assembly in the first instance? The same governor that has been accused by politicians of not being a spendthrift? Which one should we hold dearly now?

“This is the season of mischief and Governor Aiyedatiwa is too focused to be distracted,” Abire stated.