Sell off all Osun helicopter to pay workers, PDP to Aregbesola

Firstclass newsline gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party has
advised Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to sell the
helicopter purchased for security surveillance and stop 'wasteful
spending' in order to raise money to pay salaries of workers in the
state.
The Director of Media and Strategy of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran
Odeyemi, gave this advice in a statement made available to our
correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday.
The statement read, "The PDP is urging the government to sell the
helicopter Governor Aregbesola said was procured for the state. He
should also stop frivolous trips to Cuba.
"What this administration told us was that the helicopter was to be
used for surveillance, but we have since discovered that the machine
is only serving the travelling needs of Mr. Aregbesola and his family.
This remains one draining pipe that must be blocked.
"The governor and his aides should also forthwith stop travelling in
chartered aircraft around the world. If President Muhammadu Buhari
could be travelling on British Airways, even when aircrafts in
presidential fleet are available, there is the need for Governor
Aregbesola to borrow a leave."
The opposition party also accused the governor of wasting the state's
resources on politics and arming of a group of youth he called "State
Boys."
The PDP called on the newly elected members of the Osun State House of
Assembly not to turn themselves to rubber stamp of the executive arm
of the government.
According to the party, the people of the state now place their hope
on the lawmakers to check the 'excesses of the governor' in the
interest of the masses.
The statement read further, "The whole world is aware of the fact that
former Ekiti lawmakers were heavily bribed on the bill of Osun State
for several months, where they mapped out strategies on how to impeach
Governor Fayose.
"It is also fresh in minds the huge amount Ogbeni Aregbesola expended
on the last Ekiti State governorship poll, Lagos State governorship
poll and the Presidential project of the All Progressive Congress.
"Also, a group of miscreants called "State Boys" are being illegally
armed and financed by the government to unleash terror on many
indigenes of the state by the ruling party.
"All these actions and many others wasteful spending led us to where
we are now, which if they could be reversed, could bring financial
reserves to the state.
"But if Ogbeni Aregbesola will not treat this advice with disdain, and
henceforth, begin to act as the governor of all, we believe at least
he will be able to pay few months of the backlog of salaries owed
workers and retirees."
However, the governor described the suggestions and allegations from
the opposition party as infantile.
Speaking through a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Semiu
Okanlawon, Aregbesola said the PDP was just seeking cheap publicity
with their suggestions and spurious allegations.
The statement read, "The suggestion shows clearly how degenerate the
PDP has become in the thinking process of its leaders to have come up
with the selling of a mere helicopter in order to pay salaries.
"It is disheartening this is how degenerate the PDP has become in
their thinking process. They screamed ignorantly about two years ago
that Osun procured a helicopter with a sum of N8bn. We had asked them
to find out the cost of a Boeing plane, let alone a helicopter which
was only leased and it was to beef up the Osun Swift Action Squad
(SAS) for its aerial surveillance. This was clear to all in the state
that the helicopter was procured as part of the Rauf Aregbesola
administration's comprehensive security measures to drive criminals
far away from the state.
"For the PDP in its narrow and pedestrian thinking to tell us to sell
the helicopter is a sign of intellectual laziness. The allegations
that Aregbesola uses the helicopter for his personal use lack any
evidence.
"It is obvious that the PDP, after it has reached its final bus stop
of defeat rigmarole, as typified by the Supreme Court decision of May
27, is merely looking for something to keep it relevant.
"But come to think of it! What could be relevant in a party that never
had any touch with the people? What could be relevant in a party that
cannot even organise itself to give credible and virile opposition? It
is therefore certain that allegations, such as Aregbesola financing
Lagos, Ekiti and Muhammadu Buhari's elections are not only laughable;
they demonstrate the fact that the PDP cannot even be rescued from its
self-inflicted tragedy. It is a party eternally rejected."
"This certainly cannot be the path to go if its intention is to be an
opposition party. An opposition party that will help the people to
know what the people want.
"The people of Osun need adequate security which PDP failed to provide
throughout Nigeria in its 16 years of misrule. The People of Osun
require good governance which the PDP could not give them. I therefore
advise that shameful lies such as those Odeyemi cooked up again and
threw to the media would not help the party. They would help sink it
deeper."
Firstclassnewsline.net