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Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said the Federal Government is owing the state about N7 billion, being the amount spent to fix federal roads in the state.
The governor disclosed this while receiving the Minister of State for Transport, Gbemisola Saraki, and officials of her ministry at the governor’s office in Akure, the state capital. Saraki is in the state for verification of the number of federal government road projects fixed by the state for possible reimbursement.
Akeredolu expressed optimism that by the time the Federal Government officials complete their verification and carried out its deductions, the state should be able to receive over N5 billion.
He said such repayment would go a long way at assisting the state on projects execution and payment of salary arrears.
“The money being owed is about N7 billion. I am sure by the time they look at it, do all their verifications, if there will be deductions here and there, we should be able to have over N5 billion to come into the state.
“These are monies that have been spent and the roads have been completed over the years, so they are verifiable.
We believe this will go a long way at assisting us on projects and payment of salary arrears,” Akeredolu said. The governor, however sought the support of the Minister of State for Transport on the actualisation of the Ondo sea port.
The governor said the project is very crucial to his administration, noting that it is a way of building the state for future generation.
He said the idea is to decongest Lagos State and open up the riverine area in the state for better economic activities.
Saraki assured the governor that her team would be fair as they carry out their verification exercise.
Meanwhile, about 500 loyalists of the former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday dumped the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), a political party led by Mimiko. Mimiko had contested the senatorial election last year on ZLP platform and lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The erstwhile loyalists of Mimiko were however silent on the new political party they will join, insisting their action was taken in the overall best interest of the people.
However, it was speculated that the politicians may pitch their tent with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some former aides of Mimiko, including his deputy, Lasisi Oluboyo, had last week defected to the APC.
Speaking at a press conference in Akure yesterday, ZLP former deputy chairman, Adebayo Abayomi, said the decision to dump ZLP was as a result of wide consultations.
He said Mimiko loyalists, who dumped ZLP are former state executive members of the party, local government officials and ward leaders.
He said former ZLP members, who are under the aegis of Grassroots Progressive Network (GPM), have not concluded on the particular political party to join or support during the next governorship election in the state.
