Akeredolu’s ex-aide tackles Aiyedatiwa’s adviser over alleged misguided pension claims

By Boye Oyeyemi

A former chief press secretary to late Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Mr Richard Olatunde, has accused an aide to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of distorting facts on pension matters in the state.

Olatunde, in a statement released on Monday, faulted Mr Gani Mohammed, special adviser on special duties and strategy, describing his comments as misleading and politically motivated.

He alleged that Mohammed’s remarks were aimed at discrediting the legacy of the late governor despite being part of the same administration, stressing that the adviser was resorting to blackmail to remain politically relevant.

Mohammed had claimed that pensioners in Ondo endured a decade of hardship despite federal bailouts, adding that the current administration restored their dignity, however, Olatunde countered his claims noting that the Akeredolu-led government had made significant payments to clear inherited arrears.

He said, “By 2021, about N6bn had been released to offset gratuities owed by the previous administration. N3.1bn was also paid in August 2020 to settle outstanding allowances, including hazard bonuses for health workers.”

Olatunde further disclosed that In December 2023, N1bn was released for gratuities to teachers and local government retirees from 2011, insisting that funds from Paris Club refunds and bailouts under Muhammadu Buhari were judiciously utilised to address salary and pension backlogs.

The former spokesman maintained that the late governor inherited seven months of salary arrears but cleared six and approved payment of the outstanding one month before leaving office. “Akeredolu spent 82 months in office but paid a total of 87 months’ salaries, which shows commitment to workers’ welfare,” he revealed.

Olatunde also criticised Mohammed’s public interventions, saying they reflected poor coordination within the current administration and questioned his competence to speak on such matters.