2025 Ondo Budget: Opposition condemns State Govt’s plan

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given its thumbs-down to the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa signing into law the 2025 state budget.

The Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kennedy Peretei, summed this up in a statement released on Tuesday.

A week after the state House of Assembly had passed a sum of N698,659,496,000 budget into law for the fiscal year, Aiyedatiwa signed the 2025 appropriation bill into law.

Reports suggest that a sum of N265,037,496,000 was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

Capital expenditure gulps N433,622,000,000 of the sum allocated.

The PDP has now come out to condemn the budget.

According to the opposition, the budget translates to looting by the government of the state.

“The Ondo State 2025 Appropriation Act, signed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa can be appropriately described as a “Budget of Looting”. Surprisingly the Governor called it a “Budget of Recovery”.

“Of the N698B earmarked for spending in the year 2025, a whooping N11.5B was allocated to the Ministry of Finance as a ‘security vote’. Not even Budget experts could explain the meaning of a security vote in a Ministry, different from the one the Governor receives monthly under the same sub-head.

“There are other outrageous allocations such as N200m to House of Assembly Members and N280m to Speaker of the Ondo State Assembly, respectively, as phone expenses.

The PDP Ondo State Chapter is not in any doubt that these dubious allocations are certainly not in the interest of the State as they are brazen, “the devil never cares” moves to empty the state treasury.

“There is nowhere in the world where the people’s monies are so stolen with an official stamp in this reckless manner. Critical sectors like Education and Health Care received only N77.024 billion and N46.016 billion, respectively. Is there any doubt as to why Lucky Aiyedatiwa ‘s government has achieved nothing since its inception over a year ago? The focus is more on looting than the development of the state,” the statement from PDP read in part.

The opposition proceeded to call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that the budget is subject to investigation.

“We want to call on the EFCC to be thorough in their investigation of the stealing of public funds in Ondo State through the 2025 Budget. No state can make progress if those entrusted with the people’s funds are not accountable but use under-hand tactics to steal,” the statement read.

In its reaction, however, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress refuted the PDP’s claims.

In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro, the ruling party described the PDP as ‘bitter.’

“It’s clear that the PDP’s bitterness from overwhelmingly losing the last governorship election to the APC is still festering, and they’re desperate to discredit the ruling party’s administration. The claims of “looting” and “dubious allocations” are nothing but a smear campaign.

“The Ondo State 2025 Appropriation Act, signed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is a well-thought-out budget designed to drive economic growth, improve infrastructure, and enhance the overall well-being of our citizens. The allocations to various ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, are transparent and in line with the state’s development priorities,” Otaloro said.