The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration of using allegations of “blackmail” and “cyber extortion” as a pretext to silence dissent and avoid public accountability.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Director of Media and Public Communications, Wándé T. Àjàyí, the opposition party described as “infantile” a recent claim by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, that the state government was the target of orchestrated blackmail campaigns.
According to the PDP, the commissioner’s statement was “a desperate attempt to portray the government as a victim” amidst rising criticism from citizens, civic groups, and opposition voices regarding governance and transparency in the state.
“The only people blackmailing Ondo State today are those occupying Alagbaka who have turned governance into a bazaar of deceit, propaganda, and self-glorification,” the statement read.
The party further accused the Aiyedatiwa administration of “opacity, waste, and scandal,” alleging that it consistently responds to legitimate demands for accountability by labeling critics as blackmailers.
“It is the tactic of the guilty to play the victim when confronted with truth,” the PDP said. “Governor Aiyedatiwa and his handlers should stop dragging the name of Ondo State into their propaganda circus. The people are not deceived.”
The opposition party challenged the government to publicly release the list of contractors, payment records, and the real status of the 2025 budget implementation, describing the data released so far as “cosmetic figures.”
It also accused the administration of “reckless spending” and failing to meet basic obligations in key sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
“Our hospitals are failing, schools are unconducive, and Ondo South remains largely disconnected from the rest of the state. Even Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) has been on strike for two months while students threaten protests,” the party claimed.
The PDP further alleged that the government was attempting to weaponise the Cybercrime Act to intimidate and criminalise critics, warning that such efforts would not succeed.
“Ondo people are no longer afraid,” the statement continued. “They can see that this administration is more interested in chasing shadows than addressing hunger, unemployment, and infrastructural decay.”
The party urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to “focus on governance, transparency, and service delivery” rather than engaging in what it described as a “propaganda contest.”
“The people did not elect him to trade insults with imaginary enemies but to govern responsibly,” it added. “Truth is not defended by threats; it is proven by conduct — and this government has failed that test miserably.”
As of press time, the Ondo State Government had yet to respond to the PDP’s latest statement.
