Ondo Redemption Front (ORF), a civil advocacy group, has urged Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa to bridge the gap between governance and public expectations in the state amid alleged indecision, poor prioritisation and weak coordination.

Led by its chairman, Ologun Ayodeji, the group, at a news conference, urged the governor to strengthen institutions and end prolonged vacancies.

Mr Ayodeji, flanked by co-chairman Mogbojuri Kayode and the secretary, Adedotun Ajulo, called for a shift from “governance by announcements” to measurable results for citizens.

He said the group’s intervention was not driven by political bitterness but was a genuine push for Ondo to fulfil its enormous potential and deliver better governance.

The chairman faulted the reappointment of Taiwo Fasoranti as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) after he lost a senatorial election, having resigned from the position to contest.

He said the prolonged vacancy exposed weak planning and a lack of strategic thinking.

He described the SSG’s office as the government’s engine room and warned that it should not become a political holding room vacated for personal ambition.

“Government institutions must be stronger than individual ambitions,” Ayodeji said, citing delays that reflected poor urgency and disregard for institutional continuity.

He also raised alarm over the growing controversy in the ministry of finance, noting that bottlenecks, delayed approvals and contractor frustration were now being echoed even by government aides on social media.

He asked the governor to investigate and clarify the situation, saying government business should not be held hostage by bureaucracy or concentrated influence.

He also demanded full disclosure on the Akure flyover, including its cost, contractor, procurement process, funding and timeline, questioning the transparency of the project and the contractor’s track record.

“Beyond the flyover, rural roads remain poor. Economic activity suffers despite increased federal allocations to the state.

“Healthcare was called “alarming”, with hospitals lacking staff, equipment, and emergency capacity. Ondo ranks low in public hospital satisfaction surveys,” he claimed.

In education, he cited instability and poor funding, pointing to Rufus Giwa Polytechnic’s crisis as proof of systemic neglect.

He described security as the biggest source of anxiety.

“Kidnapping and attacks disrupt farming, trade, and rural life across Ondo,” he said.

He also demanded quarterly accountability sessions and reforms in health, education and security, calling for a focus on results over politics.

When contacted, the chief press secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniran, dismissed the ORF’s allegations, describing the group as familiar critics who address the governor daily on social media without seeking genuine answers.

Mr Adeniran, who accused members of the group of raising baseless allegations to remain relevant online, said they did not deserve a government response, insisting that they sought attention, not solutions, for the people of Ondo.

On appointments, he defended the governor’s right to choose his cabinet, saying questioning the SSG appointment was illogical because it was about capacity, not politics.

He said that project details, including those of the Akure flyover, were already in the public domain, urging the group to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain more information.

(NAN)