By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa approved the new minimum wage as a desperate measure to retain power at all costs.
The PDP said the governor did not take the decision in good faith as it described it as a “Greek gift” and a “bait” to entice the civil servants and people of the state. This claim by the opposition party is contained in a statement issued and signed the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity of the PDP campaign organisation, Ayo Fadaka.
The statement stressed that Ayedatiwa and its political party, All Progressives Congress (APC), approved the increment of salary to hoodwink the people of the state to vote for him in the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial poll.
The PDP urged the people not to take what they termed the bait by the governor but vote according to the dictates of their consciences.
Ayedatiwa had on Saturday announced the implementation of a N73,000 minimum wage for workers during the flag-off of the Ondo central senatorial district Campaign ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state.
The governor said even though the federal government approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage, the state would go a step further by paying N73,000 to its workers.
But the PDP, through the statement issued Sunday, said announcing the increments on a campaign podium was a brazen display of desperation and an attempt to curry favour from the electorate.
The opposition party stressed that the Ayedatiwa administration has been a colossal failure in all sectors
The statement reads: “A leader who genuinely cares about the welfare of his people would have long since addressed the root causes of Ondo State’s challenges: poverty, unemployment, and the decay of essential services.
“His administration has been defined by neglect, indifference, and a stark lack of empathy for the plight of the common man; rather than champion sustainable development and meaningful progress, he has opted to dangle this meagre wage increase as a political carrot, a last-ditch effort to manipulate and hoodwink the electorate in pursuit of his selfish political survival.
“What makes Aiyedatiwa’s actions particularly unacceptable is the timing of this so-called wage hike. After months of inertia and complete disregard for the struggles of the workers who keep the state functioning, this insulting small increase is now paraded as an act of benevolence.
“The reality, however, is as clear as day: this cynical strategy is designed not to improve the lives of the hard-working people of Ondo State but to salvage the political ambitions of a governor who has failed them at every turn.
“While Aiyedatiwa attempts to use this meagre raise as political bait, the grim truth remains unchanged. The state’s healthcare system is in disarray, educational institutions are crumbling, and infrastructure is in a state of collapse. His administration has failed to invest in the future of Ondo State, preferring instead to offer empty promises and engage in grandstanding, all while the people he is supposed to serve continue to bear the brunt of his failures.
“A truly compassionate and visionary leader would have embraced a comprehensive approach, implementing meaningful wage reforms as part of a broader strategy to uplift the living standards of the people.
“But Aiyedatiwa’s… is evident in his blatant disregard for the real issues confronting Ondo State; ..,his refusal to tackle the systemic problems his administration has created, choosing instead to insult the intelligence of the electorate with a meagre ₦3,000 increment, an afterthought that does nothing to alleviate the struggles of the people.
“The people of Ondo State deserve a leader who prioritises their welfare over personal gain, one who enacts policies driven by genuine concern, not political expediency.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa has proven himself to be anything but that. This ill-timed wage increase is yet another act of deceit from a governor whose leadership has been marked by irresponsibility and a relentless pursuit of self-interest. His actions are a stark reminder of his callous and self-serving approach to governance, leaving the people of Ondo State to demand the better leadership they rightfully deserve.
“It is disrespectful to announce the new minimum wage of dignified and decorous Ondo State Workers on the podium of the electioneering campaign, thereby politicising the welfare and well-being of the State Civil Service to gain undue political mileage in the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for November 16.
“Here is a man who has promised to pay the leave bonus for Ondo State workers for the past two months but to no avail. Some people might argue that a leave bonus is not the exclusive right of civil servants, but integrity matters in everything we do in this life. As governor, if you know you won’t do something, don’t promise it!
“The teeming civil servants in Ondo State see this latest promise about a new minimum wage increment as another Greek gift to hoodwink unsuspecting members of the Ondo State civil service into voting for him.
“The timing is ill-conceived, and nobody is going to take him seriously because he has deceived the civil service once, and they won’t allow him to deceive them one more time—once bitten, twice shy!”
Ayedatiwa, formerly a deputy governor, became the governor of Ondo State last year following the death of the former governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu.
