The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state has rejected the apology by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, on the alleged errors in the 2024 Budget that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa planned to spend N5bn to renovate Day Care centres in the state.

It said it was the plan of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration to swindle the people through the daycare renovation project that was thwarted by the eagle-eyed media.

Spokesman for the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, in a statement issued in Akure, said a mere apology by Pastor Igbasan was not enough.

The statement said all persons “connected with this fraud must be brought to book.’

“The governor, as a matter of urgency must clear himself to dispel the allegations that, he is desperate to mop up funds from the Ondo State Treasury for the purposes bankrolling his election come November 16.

“Our party will not fold its hand and watch the APC and Aiyedatiwa fleece our meagre resources just for the political aspiration of one man, no matter how highly placed.

“What is regrettable about a document that went through several layers of screening and vetting before being forwarded to the Ondo state House of Assembly? At the Assembly, the House Committee on Appropriation invites government officials who take turns to defend same budget. Is it the case that, nobody spotted these regrettable errors?” PDP queried.

Pastor Igbasan had explained that the N5b provision was actually meant to reflect the expected drawdown from the Nigerian for Women Project (WORDLD Bank Supported).

Igbasan said the N18m reported on the Nigerian for Women Project was meant for the renovation for Daycare Project.

“This is a regrettable Printer’s interpolation error that occurred during the process of preparing the document for publication. This error would have remained almost undetectable were it not for the eagle eye by Saharareporters because the Ondo State Budget System is e-based and the correct figures are reflected on the portal as shown below (www.ondobudget.Org).

“Hence, at the operational level, this error will not materialize and almost impossible to detect. The Ministry take full responsibility for this error and we have immediately set in motion the machinery to have the error corrected.

“We look forward to having robust engagement and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders on the journey to making Ondo State a reference points in transparent Budgeting,” he said. (Nation)

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