The alleged incurment of N130m taxpayers’ money on hotel bills by the Ondo state deputy governor, Dr Olayide Adelami and his aides in 2024 has sparked controversy.
Dr Adelami and his aides have been staying in hotel apartments since he was sworn in in February last year following the renovation of his official quarters at the Government House Ground.
During the 2023 general elections, the official quarters were converted into a computer center and situation room for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Findings showed that the Deputy Governor has lodged in four first-class hotels in the state.
He incurred other expenses in the hotels aside from accommodation.
The Director of students mobilisation of the Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council, Ijanusi Olawale, said that the state government should have allocated the newly renovated VIP lodge to Adelami rather than spending taxpayers’ money on hotel bills.
Olawale said, “Despite spending a huge amount of money renovating the VIP lodge, all the lodge occupants had been flushed out.
“The Deputy governor should be temporarily allocated the VIP lodge within the government house pending the period the Deputy governor’s lodge will be completed.”
Ijanusi urged the state government to channel the money used to lodge the deputy governor and his aides in hotels to other areas, such as education, health and other sectors that will benefit members of the public.
Also, a top government official said that the deputy governor and his crew incurred the hotel bills, adding that the state government still has outstanding bills for accommodation and lodging.
He said, “Accommodations were provided for the deputy governor and his aides in these hotels, and they have been using various hotels for one year now.
” The money released for the quarter by the Ministry of Finance was not enough to offset the outstanding bills incurred on the hotel accommodation.
When contacted, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Rahman Adekunle Yusuf, confirmed that the deputy governor “occasionally stayed in a hotel apartment in Akure, as his official government quarter is under renovation.
Yusuf denied that the deputy governor’s continued hotel stay was wasting state resources.
According to him, “It is noteworthy that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has ordered the renovation of the Deputy Governor’s official residence, which will be completed soon.
“It is on record that no deputy governor has occupied the said lodge since the first tenure of late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, including Agboola Ajayi.
“For the records, Dr Olayide Adelami, an accomplished Nigerian who retired as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, was sworn in as the Deputy Governor of Ondo state on the 1st of February, 2024 and was operating from his house in Owo.
“He was later provided a room at a hotel by the protocol unit of the Deputy Governor’s office due to the pressure of the work, which most times didn’t allow him to return to Owo, as his supposed official residence was under renovation.
“The hotel accommodation provided for Dr. Adelami is a room and parlour for him alone, and none of his aides has ever stayed in the hotel with him, as we all have our accommodations in different places within the Akure metropolis.
‘It should be noted that the Deputy Governor knows nothing about the hotel payment, which is not in his purview, but always checks out of the hotel to relocate to his country home in Owo when there are no matters of urgent importance for him to attend to in Akure, due to his prudent nature.
“For several days in each month, the Deputy Governor comes to his office in Akure from Owo where he houses and feeds everyone on his entourage from his purse, as he had always done for anyone close to him, even before he became deputy governor.”
Speaking with Vanguard, a top government official who spoke in confidence said that the deputy governor’s money incurred on hotel bills was far lower and nothing to fret about.
According to him, “Where do they want the deputy governor to be sleeping when his official quarters are still under renovation?
“No doubt, the official quarters of the deputy governor would soon be ready, and there would not be any more complaints. (Vanguard)
