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'No Money, No Votes!’ — Ondo Workers Threaten Showdown With Akeredolu Ahead Of State Assembly Election

While Akeredolu said: “But I want you to do whatever you can do. I want to beg you (workers) to go home and work, because the House of Assembly election is very important to us. So, when it is Friday, we will give you (workers) the chance to travel to your various towns," the workers quickly interjected the Governor with repeated chants of “'No Money, No Votes!”

With just days to the House of Assembly elections, civil servants in the workforce of the Ondo State government have asked Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, to offset all their outstanding entitlements and allowances if he wants their votes.

The workers made the demand on Monday at a meeting summoned by the Governor to solicit the support of the civil servants for the state House of Assembly election scheduled for Saturday, March 9, 2019.

Akeredolu has been holding crucial meetings to plead for votes for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The meeting with the workers on Grade Levels 1-16 and above was held inside the facility of the cenotaph at Adegbemile in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Addressing the workers, Akeredolu begged the civil servants to support the APC candidates, noting that since he came on board, his first priority had always been the payment of salaries of workers who are in the workforce of the state government.

He, however, noted that if the APC candidates are elected, there would be need for the next legislative and executive arms to be in tandem as per the same political party as the majority, so as to ensure smooth running of government.

"The stability we have had up till now, let us continue with it. Our Assembly we have now is complete, though we have some hiccups among them because of this dichotomy. I know you understand all I am saying because I know you are all politically aware," Akeredolu said.

“But I want you to do whatever you can do. I want to beg you (workers) to go home and work, because the House of Assembly election is very important to us. So, when it is Friday, we will give you (workers) the chance to travel to your various towns.”

However, the workers quickly interjected the Governor with repeated chants of "no Money, no Votes!”

The government workers, who were mobilised from the 18 local council areas of the state, were referring to the payment of all their entitlements. It took the quick intervention of Toyin Akinkuotu, the Ondo State Head of Service (HoS), who whispered to Governor Akeredolu to “speak in the best terms that the workers would easily understand about their pay”.

Addressing the crowd, Akinkuotu pleaded with the workers to respect Akeredolu.

He said: “It is on record that no worker was harassed or intimidated by Akeredolu’s administration. The person who alleviated our pains by constantly paying our salaries deserves our commendation.

“He has substantially paid our salary arrears. Promotion of civil servants and other benefits are not left out. We are bold to say that Akeredolu is fulfilling all his pre-election promises to Ondo State civil servants.”