PDP to Ajimobi – resign if you cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wage

PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP,  in the South-West,  has  asked the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, government in Oyo State, led by Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to resign if he cannot pay workers in the state the N18,000 minimum wage.

Also, a group within the PDP in Oyo State, loyal to immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, has criticised  the governor’s handling of the on-going strike in the state.

The state chapter of ACN, on the contrary said Governor Ajimobi had in the last 10 months shown enough commitment to workers’ welfare, saying last Monday’s meeting the governor had with the workers where facts and figures were placed before them was a further confirmation that Ajimobi had nothing to hide as far as the financial situation was concerned.

PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Kayode Babade,  said, yesterday, that it was the height of wickedness for a governor, with over 1,000 political appointees earning an average of N300,000 per month to deny civil servants in his state the payment of just N18,000 as minimum wage.

The statement said: “We in the PDP, have an advice for him, he should please resign and let someone else, who won’t see Oyo State Government in terms of naira and kobo, take over the affairs of the state.

“Let Governor Ajimobi be reminded that former Governor Adebayo Alao Akala, who approved the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage did so in the understanding that the state had the capacity and capability to pay. If Akala were to be the one in power, he would have been paying the N18,000 as approved since May, 2011.

“Besides, didn’t Governor Ajimobi promise the workers the N18,000 minimum wage during his electioneering campaign? So if it is now difficult for him to meet his obligations to the people of Oyo State who elected him, why then is he still in office as governor? Isn’t resignation the most honourable thing for him to do since he has confessed that he cannot pay the workers, not to talk of executing developmental projects unless he borrows N135 million monthly? Or is it by force to serve the people of Oyo State?”