A civil society group, the Ondo Redemption Front (ORF), on Thursday claimed that the Ondo State Government is lacking in transparency and accountability, especially concerning its contentious N240 billion bond.
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The organization stated that there is no public insight into the bond regarding its terms, usage, and current situation, emphasizing that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration is shrouded in alleged financial secrecy.
During a press conference in Akure, the state capital, ORF revealed that it possesses documents and evidence suggesting that certain individuals within the government have been receiving monthly kickbacks of N12 billion from the “secret” bond.
According to the group’s chairman, Ayodeji Ologun, who was joined by co-chairman Kayode Mogbojuri and secretary Adedotun Ajulo, Aiyedatiwa and his Finance Commissioner need to clarify their positions regarding the controversial bond.
Ologun, stressing that the state’s integrity is at risk, urged the Ondo State House of Assembly to quickly launch a transparent investigation, warning that ongoing “silence will only validate suspicion.”
“The issue of the N240 billion bond issuance and the claims of N12 billion monthly kickbacks are not mere rumors in the marketplace.
“The credibility of a bond issuance lies in its transparency. We have strong evidence that N12 billion in monthly kickbacks is being funneled from this bond into the private pockets of one or two individuals,” he stated.
In response, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanakun, labeled the group as faceless. Likewise, the Ondo Good Governance Alliance asserted that all financial records of the state are accessible, audited, and verifiable, insisting that the allegations are unfounded.