A pan-Ondo State group, Sunshine Liberation Movement (SLM) has propped the six Southwest governors to probe what it describes as lopsided top appointments in Odua Group of Companies jointly owned by the six states in Yorubaland.
Specifically, the group, in a statement by its chairman, Elder Dipo Ajidahun, and secretary, Mrs Aduke Ademola, complained that the recent announcement of a new Group Managing Director for Odua, from Ogun State, only spelt that Ogun would be producing a GMD for the third time, in succession.
Recall that the outgoing Odua GMD, Mr. Adewale Raji, who has spent two terms of 10 years with an extra year, announced his successor come June 1 this year as Mr. Abdulraman Yinusa, and both of them are from Ogun State.
“This certainly runs contrary to the spirit of justice and fairness, especially in a group of companies that is supposed to be the common patrimony of the six states in Yorubaland.
“We particularly note with shock that Ondo State has been sorely marginalised in top administrative appointments in the Conglomerate as it has not smelt anything near the position of a Group Managing Director for several years since the Odua Board was constituted.
“How can only Ogun State for the third time in succession be producing a GMD apparently to scoff at the remaining five states as tomfooleries?
“We, therefore, call on the six Southwest states’ governors to convene an emergency meeting to review this sort of ethnic cleansing in Odua Board, and help nullify the appointment of Yinusa as the new GMD, so that a State like Ondo State, which has been long marginalised in getting to the position, can have a taste of it”, the SLM appealed.
Meanwhile, the SLM in the statement has commended the leadership skill of President Bola Tinubu, describing him as focused on achieving his target.
It, however, enjoined the President to “focus with tenacity” on mechanisms to ensure that all the moribund petroleum refineries in the country are brought back to life, to erase the hardship caused by the high cost of petroleum products.
The group also mourned the recent passage of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, describing him as a strong-willed leader, who rescued the Southwest from harassment from harmed nomadic herdsmen through the establishment of Amotekun Security Corps.
“We trust that the new governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will build on the legacies of Akeredolu, and also write his own name in gold,” the SLM stated.