Ondo State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Rasaq Obe, has denied allegations that he paid huge sums of money to be nominated as commissioner under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Obe was the commissioner who raised the alarm that late Akeredolu’s signature was being forged after he said he hired forensic experts.
A former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategies to Akeredolu, Doyin Odebowale, had asked Obe, in an interview, to tell the world how much was paid to Akeredolu’s wife, Betty, and son, Babajide, for him to be made a commissioner.
Odebowale said Obe was a nobody politically until Betty and Babajide submitted his name to be made commissioner.
Obe said he led the battle for Akeredolu to emerge victorious in Ilara Mokin ward in Ifedore local government area in the 2020 governorship election. Obe stated that Akeredolu decided to reward Ilara Mokin for the performances at the polls.
He also denied allegations that he had quarreled with Babjide over the supply of diesel in the state.
In his reaction, Obe said Odebowale was part of the cabal that held the state budget performance down when Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was acting governor.
Obe said he joined politics as a multi-millionaire, having worked and retired at ExxonMobil.
The commissioner said he had planned not to collect his salary as a commissioner but was cautioned against such a decision. He said Odebowale was one of the people who benefited from Akeredolu’s illness.
Obe stated: “I supported Akeredolu and gave him all assistance in 2020. I followed him through the campaigns, so it is not true to say I was a nobody politically. There was no need to pay the First Lady or her son for me to be made commissioner.
“It is unfortunate that Odebowale is making these vituperations days after the passing of Akeredolu.
“There was nothing to quarrel about between Babajide and I. I never supplied diesel to any part of the state.”
On the issue of forgery of Akeredolu’s signature, Obe said petitions have been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that the concerned persons would soon be invited.
Obe stated that the country would be seen as a banana Republic if nobody was prosecuted and punished for forging late Akeredolu’s signature.
He said, “Let us bury Akeredolu. The gate of justice will be opened. The political solution and the advice to unify the party, as advised by Tinubu do not include forgery. Forgery of a governor’s signature and authorization of millions of naira are too criminal to be ignored.
“The individual doing all the forgery must be produced. Some of us were harassed. They hated me because I punctuated their activities. It is when the new governor opens the books that you will know the extent of the damage.”
