PDP Will Be Out With More Shameful Manipulations–Osun Bureau Alerts Public

*Asks how can a government pay N20billion to a company handling a N14.5billion road project

The State of Government of Osun on Sunday asked Nigerians to watch out for series of distortions, misinformation and outright lies as part of the strategies of the Peoples Democratic Party and their allies to distract the Rauf Aregbesola government in the aftermath of the receipt of the bailout funds.

The Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor said on Sunday that the PDP and its allies are irrevocably committed to a shameful assignment of manipulations of the minds of the people through a litany of lies and concoctions as they embark on their fruitless journey to pull down the government.

The statement, signed by the Bureau’s Director, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the latest of the PDP’s falsehood is the allegation that the government of Aregbesola has paid a sum of N20billion to a construction company, Slava Yeditepe, the construction company handling the Oba Adesoji Aderemi Second By-Pass Road out of the N34.988billion received as bailout funds.

“Nothing could be more ridiculous as an allegation! First, Governor Aregbesola commenced the construction of the Adesoji Aderemi Road in July 2013 at the total cost of N14.5billion and this was publicly announced.

“What then would be the reason for the payment of N20billion to the contractor in 2015?

“Secondly, the PDP has shot itself in the foot and punctured its own lies of last week where it accused Aregbesola of fixing the bailout funds in a deposit account for interests to accrue. If its claim of fixing the N34.988billion in a deposit account was true, how then was the governor able to pay N20billion to Slava Yeditepe? This stands logic in the head. This does not show some good thinking on the part of the PDP and its allies in the destabilisation plot.”

The Bureau said that in the last one week, the PDP had initiated spurious allegations bordering on the bailout funds, adding that there can be no other reason behind this other than mischief.

“There can be no other rationale behind these spurious allegations and those they still plan to make other than a determined effort to incite workers against the government.

“The PDP last week accused Aregbesola of fixing the N34.988 bailout funds in a fixed deposit account. Contrary to confirmations from the CBN, PDP also said that the state had received the bailout funds two weeks prior last week. It was apparent that this was a calculated attempt to set workers against the government.

“If not outright mischief, how could the PDP accuse Aregbesola of having collected the funds two weeks before when in actual facts, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), just three days before then, confirmed its release of the funds to the states? And this was widely reported.”

The Bureau said it was aware that with the clear assurances that the state is getting out of the logjams created by the national economic crisis which exposed the Aregbesola administration to orchestrated media attacks, the party and its allies must commence another phase of their war of attrition.

“This is why the public must be wary of the antics of this party and its co-travellers. Just within one week, the party has accused Aregbesola of fixing the funds in a deposit account with a view to making personal gains. It has also said at least N20billion of the same N34.988billion has been paid to a construction company. These are all within the same week.”

The Bureau accused the PDP of thinking very little of the Osun people to conclude they will not see through these open lies.

“Whether the PDP and its allies in the evil plot realise it or not, the Osun people are much more sophisticated and more discerning than they take them to be. Such lies are too cheap for them,” the Bureau added

The statement further assured that the government will commence the payment of salary and pension arrears, explainning that the verification exercise was necessary to ensure that only people deserving of the salaries get paid.

“In these days, strategic planning is key to the survival of any venture, be it public or private. The entire planet is undergoing a slowdown in economic growth and the sharp decline of the price of crude oil – Nigeria’s main source of revenue at the moment – means we have to question every financial decision we take,” it added

It thanked the people of Osun for their resilience, perseverance, and for resisting the temptation to be used to destroy the peace and progress the state had always enjoyed under the current leadership.

“It would be remiss not to mention the uncomfortable but necessary sacrifice made by our diligent and faithful workers during the trying period.

“The vast majority of our people stood by this government not because it was easy, but because they had seen how we invested massively and honestly in their lives via multiple social, developmental and infrastructure programmes that mitigated the challenges. Our people understood the circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation.”