A civil society organisation, the Ondo Redemption Front(ORF) has accused the Ondo State Government of lacking transparency and accountability, particularly over its controversial N240 billion bond.
According to the group, there is no public visibility of the bond in terms of its conditions, utilisation, and current status.
ORF stressed that the state government is cloaked in alleged financial secrecy.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Akure, the group disclosed that it is in possession of documents and evidence indicating that some individuals within the government have been receiving monthly N12 billion kickbacks from the “secret” bond.
According to the group’s chairman, Ayodeji Ologun, who was flanked by the co-chairman, Kayode Mogbojuri, and secretary, Adedotun Ajulo, the government should come out clean over the controversial bond.
ORF emphasised that the integrity of the state is at stake, calling on the Ondo State House of Assembly to promptly initiate a transparent investigation into the allegations.
The group equally warned that continued “silence will only confirm suspicion.”
“The matter of the N240 billion bond issuance and the allegations of N12 billion monthly kickbacks. These are not ordinary whispers in the marketplace.
“The credibility of the issuance of a bond is its visibility. We have it on a very strong note that there have been monthly kickbacks of N12 billion being generated from this bond going to private pockets of one or two persons,” ORF said.
Reacting to the allegations, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanakun, described the group as faceless, urging the people to discountenance the allegations.
