The attention of Wale Akinterinwa Media Office has been drawn to a sponsored media jibes emanating from certain quarters to smear the person and name of Hon. Wale Akinterinwa (WA) former Commissioner of Finance in Ondo State.
Since his triumphant return to the State and as a result of his recent well received media interview, these characters have not hidden the fact that they are under serious pain to hear the truth. They have become very restless and ceaselessly unleashed their irascible assault on WA. We are not unaware that this is all about Ondo 2024 and WA is prepared to remain focused on his goal of becoming the next Governor of Ondo State. We are however determined to confront their menace of falsehood with latent truths and their fables with cogent and verifiable facts.
Let it be known to these purveyors of hate and untruths that Hon Wale Akinterinwa will not shy away from defending himself with the amour of truth and shield of facts at all times whenever they bare their poisoned fangs during this contest for Alagbaka. We know it is just the begining and that more will come. WA has enough goodwill in his arsenal to diffuse and displace their vague rantings.
Let it be known by the good people of Ondo State that Hon. Wale Akinterinwa has no hand in how any money of whatever amount or denomination belonging to the people of Ondo State was hidden and got "missing" in 2010 or any other time.
It is a fact that WA was in the Dr. Olusegun Mimiko administration for about seven (7) months in 2009. How can such a person hide such a humongous amount in 2010 through which he bought a position for a Governor who came into office in 2017? Why would WA wait till 2020 to buy his way into an administration in which he was a convenient stakeholder?
The fact of the matter and by the records available in the financial institutions and with the security agencies is that this issue emanated during the Agagu government and the Mimiko government was never aware of the existence of the money. If it did, it never made it public.
It must also be put on record that the discovery of this money became possible due to the excellent goodwill enjoyed by Hon. Wale Akinterinwa (WA) within the Nigerian financial sector. Also, it must be stated that the process of getting back the money was accentuated by the efforts of a proud son of Ondo State who occupied a very high executive position in the bank at the period who also shared a mutual professional respect for Wale Akinterinwa.
We further place on record that the Ondo State House of Assembly in performance of it's statutory oversight functions thoroughly investigated this matter through its Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the report which was published in it's "PAC Reports on Years 2019 and 2020 Ondo State Audited Accounts". This report is a public document but these haters are too engrossed in their shenanigans to find the truth.
Also, the security agencies particularly the EFCC received petitions from these histerists which they acted upon. The agency conducted it's investigation where it delved into the source of the fund ( discovery) and the process of disbursement particularly, the banks, the accounts, the projects and the contractors. All the contractors who handled the projects to which the money was utilized were invited and their books were properly scrutinised. At no time was Wale Akinterinwa (WA) or his Ministry found to have committed any offence. This is in the public domain.
It is important to let those afraid of WA to understand that Wale Akinterinwa is a good product and he is one of the finest around. To the glory of God, Wale Akinterinwa served under three Governors in three administrations as Commissioner of Finance with unblemished record. It is too late in the day for anyone to distort or re-write his impeccable public record with lies, half-truths, inuendos and barefaced concotions to smear his white garment.
For close to ten years, Akinterinwa has been a true servant of the people of Ondo State delivering on the mandate of his bosses in the carefully planned and prudent management of it's scarce resources. At every given opportunity he made profound and impactful use of the opportunities to put the finance and economy of the State in sure footings. This is traced to the Governors he worked with who gave him wings to fly. It is to the eternal memory of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, that his servant achieved so much during his years as his Finance Commissioner. Within this period, WA made the following strategic milestones with his team in the Finance Ministry and other allied MDAs.
This include but not limited to, the prioritization of payment of salaries, first, under the Mimiko government and later under Arakunrin, he initiated the re-organisation of the financial architecture of the State, gave equal priority and recognition to all financial institutions, through the support of Arakunrin, he designed a template of payment of all outstanding staff salaries, set a water tight and workable template for the financing of Arakunrin's infrastructure revolution in Ondo State, when the Education Trust Fund was established, he helped to source for eminent people from the financial sector who served in the board, supervision of the IGR structure of the State through the granting of financial autonomy to the Internal Revenue Service, head hunted for the Chairman of the State Revenue Service which propelled the IGR of the State from N9.6 billion in 2016 to the current N38 billion in 2023, he advised and assisted Arakunrin on how government can fund the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, which has made it the best in the South West.
He ensured the recovery of several billions of Naira into the State’s coffers, worthy of mention is the recovery of the long lost N4.3 into, the State coffers.
He successfully restructured the old bond from the Mimiko government o free more cash for government spending and raised another N30billion from both the capital market and private placements, he set up a template where funds are set aside for the payment of the 7th outstanding month, as well as the payment of several billions in pension and gratuity arrears, he revamped the Land Use Charge for improved revenue generation, restructured the Government investment portfolio for capital gains and increased revenue generation. He sourced for cheap funds through grants, loans and donations from development partners, sourcing for cheap funds from financial institutions to augment government resources whenever the need arises. He advised Arakunrin on effective and efficient allocation of the State’s resources, he ensured the assessment of all existing government assets and liabilities for efficient handling.
We are confident these fundamental achievements are too tall for anyone to obliterate with lies by sponsored and bellyaching characters.
Hon Wale Akinterinwa is poised to put his many years of service in the financial system into greater use for the benefit of the people of Ondo State. This must have been a source of anguish to those who are incapable of understanding his acceptability and towering political structure towards the contest for the seat in Alagbaka.
In this contest, we shall remain civil, and committed to our avowed principle of Omoluabi ethos at all times. Let those who lack this attributes learn from those who have it. WA is the man to copy for the good virtues that will uplift our society.
Segun Ajiboye
For: WALE AKINTERINWA MEDIA OFFICE
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