APC Chieftain accuses Governor of misappropriating N400bn state funds

He said in the last seven and a half years, there is nothing to show for the allocations accrued to the state.

Ekungba stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 20.

“Ondo State has, in the last seven and a half years, collected over N600bn from the federation account but we cannot, in all sincerity, see tangible development that is reflective of the huge receipts,” he said.

In reaction, Mimiko described Ekungba's allegation as a figment of his imagination, saying it is typical of APC members, who he said are trying hard to discredit his administration.

Speaking through his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, Mimiko said: “It has become the stock-in-trade for APC politicians to want to pull Governor Mimiko down by all means. This is one of their outbursts to carry out their plans but we are undaunted.

“We know he has never been in government, so, he does not know how a government is run. We have very clean financial records that are audited and published yearly and we have over 700 projects that have been completed and delivered to our people. Their plan to run our governor down will fail.”

Ekungba, who is eyeing the Ondo governorship seat, said he has records that that the State has received over N600 billion from the Federal Government under Mimiko's administration.

He said: "They claimed that they are paying N4bn as monthly wage bill. In 84 months that they are going to be in office, the total wage would have cost N336bn.

“That gives us a balance of N264bn. Add that to what would have been received in forms of loans, bonds, Internal Generated Revenue and other sources, you are going to have something in the region of N400bn.

“Of course, the government still has about seven months to stay in office to collect more money even as it is owing workers about six-month salary arrears. The economy of the state is in deep trouble because of the profligacy of a governor that met over N36bn in the coffers at his inauguration.”

Ekungba further said Mimiko lacks genuine commitment to the welfare of the Ondo people, saying he squandered many opportunities to develop the state.

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“A case in point is the relocation of the multi-billion naira Dangote Refinery from Ondo to Lagos. The project, which is coming on stream very soon with all the socio-economic benefits, was initially located in Ondo, but the Mimiko administration allowed that great project to slip away,” he said.

The allegations and counter-allegations are coming ahead of the Ondo State governorship election, which holds on November 26, 2016.