The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has thrown its weight behind the rejection of the N487,437 billion supplementary budget by the State House of Assembly.
The Spokesman of the main opposition, Kennedy Peretei, said the lawmakers have shown courage in rejecting the budget, which the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government wanted to use to prosecute the November 16 governorship election.
The Assembly has rejected the 2024 supplementary budget submitted by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to the Assembly signaling a major rift between the legislative and executive arms of governments.
The major crux of the dispute between the two arms of government was the absence of the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowumi Isaac at the plenary despite being summoned by the Assembly. She was meant to give the performance of the 2024 appropriate law before the supplementary budget could be passed.
Peretei said the 2024 budget is less than 20 percent implemented expressing dismay that the Commissioner of Finance, Mrs Omowumi Isaac who was supposed to appear at Plenary on Thursday, 10th October, 2024 at 10.00 am to explain to the elected representatives of the people, grey areas of the bill shunned the lawmakers.
Peretei said the Commissioner did not only decline the invitation; she refused to state when she would dignify the legislators with her presence at the hallowed chambers.
The opposition said the commissioner has suddenly become a “thin god” because of the cluelessness of her principal, Governor Aiyedatiwa.
Peretei said “The PDP, Ondo State Chapter, salutes the courage of the legislators for rejecting this Amendment bill, coming barely a month to the Governorship election in the State.
“Our party believes that the N 487,437B requested is a decoy to mobilize funds to prosecute the governorship election, having failed tragically in all areas of governance to deliver the dividends of democracy after being in office as governor for ten months.
“Our party wishes to admonish the Governor and his appointees to be accountable and use the remaining few months of their tenure to make life more meaningful for the people of the state.