By DG Opomulero

Oloroogun Sola Ajisafe has written another long piece attacking the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. But beneath the grammar, dramatic headlines and repeated use of the word “delay” is a very familiar political script:

Attack the governor. Manufacture a crisis. Magnify every challenge. Discredit every achievement. Then position yourself for attention, relevance and political reward from Abuja.

Ondo people have seen this movie before.

And they are no longer deceived.

Let me state this clearly: Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is working, and no amount of political journalism, coordinated attacks or Abuja-directed narratives will erase the facts on the ground.

AJISAFE IS NOT THE FIRST CRITIC, AND HE WILL NOT BE THE LAST

There is nothing wrong with criticising government. What is unacceptable is deliberately constructing a narrative in which everything is wrong simply because you have chosen to oppose the person occupying the Government House.

Ajisafe’s article is not an objective assessment of the Aiyedatiwa administration.

It is a political verdict disguised as analysis.

He begins with the conclusion that the government is incompetent and then searches for every possible complaint to support that conclusion.

That is not balanced journalism.

That is advocacy.

THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE’S LIPS: WHO IS BEHIND THIS SCRIPT?

Ondo people are not politically naive.

They know the difference between genuine concern for the state and politically motivated criticism.

They know that some of the loudest critics of Governor Aiyedatiwa today are not necessarily fighting for Ondo State. Some are fighting for access, relevance and recognition from Abuja.

Some believe that the easiest way to get noticed by powerful people in Abuja is to attack a sitting governor.

They manufacture narratives about “crisis,” “failure,” “collapse” and “incompetence,” hoping that those narratives will be noticed by political actors who may reward them with appointments, contracts, patronage or influence.

Ondo people are watching.

And they will not allow anyone to use Ondo State as a bargaining chip for personal political ambition.

OLOROOGUN SOLA AJISAFE SHOULD TELL ONDO PEOPLE WHOM HE REPRESENTS

The people of Ondo State know Ajisafe.

They know his political history.

They know the political interests and circles he has consistently associated himself with.

Therefore, he should not pretend that every article he writes is an independent gospel of truth handed down from heaven.

Ondo people know whom he represents.

That is precisely why his repeated attempts to present himself as the ultimate authority on the performance of Governor Aiyedatiwa will not carry the weight he imagines.

You cannot repeatedly attack a government from a predetermined political position and then demand that the public treat your conclusions as neutral evidence.

AIYEDATIWA HAS ACHIEVEMENTS — AND THEY ARE NOT INVISIBLE

Governor Aiyedatiwa inherited challenges.

Instead of spending his time blaming his predecessors, he has chosen to work.

His administration has continued to address workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, infrastructure, pension and gratuity obligations, youth empowerment, security and economic development.

Under Governor Aiyedatiwa, more than 3,000 employment opportunities have been created across different sectors, giving thousands of Ondo people the opportunity to earn a living and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.

Workers have benefited from promotion exercises. Retirees have received substantial gratuity payments. Students have received educational support. Healthcare infrastructure and services have continued to receive attention.

The government is pursuing power-sector reforms and investment.

Strategic projects around Owena Dam and renewable energy are being developed.

Roads and other infrastructure projects are progressing across the state.

These are not merely “press releases.”

These are tangible interventions affecting real people.

So when critics deliberately present the Aiyedatiwa administration as though nothing is happening, they are not merely criticising government — they are insulting the intelligence of the thousands of Ondo people who are beneficiaries of these interventions.

The question Ajisafe should answer is simple:

If Governor Aiyedatiwa is truly doing nothing, who are the more than 3,000 people who have gained employment opportunities under his administration?

They are not statistics on paper.

They are sons and daughters of Ondo State.

They are families with responsibilities.

They are young people whose lives have been positively affected.

That is the real story Ajisafe’s “sludge” narrative conveniently refuses to tell.

ONGOING DOES NOT MEAN ABANDONED

Ajisafe appears to have discovered a new definition of government failure:

If a project is not completed immediately, it is abandoned.

By that logic, every major infrastructure project in Nigeria would be evidence of government incompetence.

Projects have contractual timelines.

Projects face technical issues.

Projects require certification.

Projects depend on payment schedules.

Projects can require variations.

Projects can be affected by inflation, supply chains and other realities of construction.

A serious commentator investigates these issues.

A political propagandist simply writes:

“It is not completed, therefore the governor has failed.”

We reject that lazy reasoning.

THE JUDICIARY COMPLEX WILL NOT BE TURNED INTO A POLITICAL GRAVEYARD

The Akeredolu Judiciary Complex deserves completion.

The government knows this.

The people know this.

But Ajisafe’s attempt to turn an ongoing infrastructure challenge into proof that Governor Aiyedatiwa has no executive capacity is laughable.

If he has a verified technical report proving exactly where the project stands, let him publish it.

Who conducted the assessment?

When?

Under whose authority?

What methodology was used?

What is the contractor’s certified position?

What payments have been made?

What is the revised completion programme?

Bring the documents.

Ondo people deserve evidence, not political mathematics.

THE ODOUR ISSUE DOES NOT MAKE AIYEDATIWA AN INCOMPETENT GOVERNOR

The environmental incident in Akure was a serious matter.

The people deserved answers and government agencies responded.

But Ajisafe wants to convert an environmental emergency into a referendum on the competence of the Governor.

That is political opportunism.

Governments around the world respond to environmental incidents through investigation, technical assessment and inter-agency coordination.

The responsible thing is to establish the source, assess the risk and take corrective measures.

Not to exploit citizens’ anxiety to score political points.

ASUU: STOP USING OUR UNIVERSITIES AS POLITICAL WEAPONS

Labour negotiations and implementation of agreements are complex matters involving government, university managements, governing councils, unions and funding arrangements.

If there are unresolved issues, they should be addressed.

But Ajisafe cannot simply write “lecturers are complaining” and use that sentence to declare Governor Aiyedatiwa a failure.

By that standard, every government in Nigeria would be permanently incompetent.

Governor Aiyedatiwa should be held accountable where necessary.

But he should also be given credit where his government is doing the right thing.

That is fairness.

THE BIGGEST SLUDGE IS THE POLITICAL ONE

Ajisafe talks about “sludge” inside government.

But Ondo people can see another kind of sludge — political sludge.

It is the sludge created when politicians and their media allies deliberately magnify every difficulty while deliberately ignoring every achievement.

It is the sludge of selective journalism.

It is the sludge of political desperation.

It is the sludge of people who suddenly discover that everything in Ondo State is wrong only when they want to attract the attention of people in Abuja.

It is the sludge of those who believe that attacking a sitting governor is the fastest route to political relevance.

That sludge will not swallow Governor Aiyedatiwa.

AIYEDATIWA DOES NOT NEED TO BE PERFECT TO BE A GOOD GOVERNOR

Let us be honest.

No government is perfect.

Governor Aiyedatiwa does not need to pretend that every problem has disappeared.

But there is a huge difference between a government facing challenges and a government that has failed.

The Aiyedatiwa administration is not a failed government.

It is a government working through inherited challenges, executing projects, managing resources and building institutions.

And the Governor deserves the opportunity to continue doing that without political blackmail.

TO THOSE SHOPPING FOR REWARDS IN ABUJA

Let this be understood clearly.

If your strategy is to destroy the image of Governor Aiyedatiwa in the hope that someone in Abuja will reward you, you will fail.

Ondo State is not a political merchandise market.

Our people will not surrender their governor to people whose only interest is personal political relevance.

If you have genuine concerns, bring facts.

If you have evidence of corruption, publish it.

If you have evidence of financial misconduct, provide it.

If you have evidence of abandoned projects, document them.

If you have solutions, present them.

But do not manufacture a permanent crisis because you are looking for political recognition.

AIYEDATIWA WILL BE JUDGED BY ONDO PEOPLE — NOT BY POLITICAL MERCHANTS

Governor Aiyedatiwa will ultimately be judged by the people.

Not by Ajisafe.

Not by Abuja power brokers.

Not by social media activists.

Not by political merchants.

And certainly not by those who believe that destroying the reputation of a governor is a qualification for political appointment.

Ondo people know what this administration is doing.

They can see the roads.

They can see the interventions.

They can see the workers’ welfare measures.

They can see the healthcare investments.

They can see the educational support.

They can see the infrastructure projects.

They can see the reforms.

They can see the more than 3,000 employment opportunities created across different sectors.

And they can also see those who suddenly become professional critics whenever they believe Abuja is listening.

OUR MESSAGE TO OLOROOGUN SOLA AJISAFE

You are entitled to your opinion.

But you are not entitled to manufacture facts.

You are entitled to criticise Governor Aiyedatiwa.

But you are not entitled to rewrite his record.

You are entitled to question government.

But you are not entitled to pretend that your political preferences are the same thing as the collective opinion of Ondo people.

And you certainly cannot speak for the people of Ondo State simply because you publish articles from Akure.

Ondo people are watching.

They know the Governor.

They know the administration.

They know the challenges.

They know the achievements.

And, most importantly, they know the political interests behind the noise.

Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa should remain focused.

Do not be distracted. Do not be intimidated. Do not be blackmailed by manufactured controversy.

Keep working.

Keep delivering.

Keep building.

Keep strengthening Ondo State.

Let the critics continue writing.

History will ultimately record who worked for Ondo State and who merely wrote against those who were working.

The Governor is working.

Ondo is moving.

The noise will pass.

The records will remain.

— DG OPOMULERO