Unpaid salaries: NAP asks Aregbesola to resign

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola

The Deputy National Chairman of the Nigeria Advance Party in the South West, Mr. Tosin Odeyemi, has asked the Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to resign for the inability of his administration to pay workers and pensioners for the past seven months.

Odeyemi said this in an interview with journalists  in Osogbo on Thursday in reaction to  the declaration by the governor that his administration had performed creditably.

He said, ” The governor said he had performed well, but if this is the best he can deliver, then he should resign.

” Is this the change he promised the people?, everybody is suffering now, both Christians and Muslims and the governor is saying he had done well. He is insensitive to the plight of the people of the state.

“The governor, through his profligate spending,  has brought  shame and ridicule to the workers and the entire people of the state.  He has turned almost everybody to beggar in the state.

” Where is Laoye-Tomori (deputy governor) now?, it is so sad that workers have been turned to beggars. The Christian Association of Nigeria has now started soliciting food for workers.

” Is the governor not eating? Are his  children and wife starving like the workers?. Certainly not. The governor still goes with all the vehicles in his convoy, he has failed woefully. ”

But the governor has denied the allegation of wasteful spending levied against him, saying anti-corruption agencies had in the past commended his administration.

The governor reacted to the NAP’s allegation through his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

He said, “If no one could accuse Aregbesola of wasteful spending in his four years of governance why now would anyone say he is wasteful. It is ironic that those making these allegations today applauded the very prudent manner he had managed the affairs of the state even with the very meagre resources at his disposal.

“Where has he been wasteful?. Is it in his implementation of the most applauded people oriented programmes such as OMEAL, OYES or care for the elderly and vulnerable, or in the massive provision of infrastructure across the state?.

“The accusation of insensitivity cannot be true, but for the revenue crisis, payments of salaries and allowances were major priorities of this government.

“We are aware that at periods like this, the head of any administration becomes easy target for pillory, but this is just a phase that will pass away.