You Are Running Aiyedatiwa’s Government Down – Media Aide Slams Ondo Commissioners

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Tension has surfaced within the communication structure of the Ondo State Government, as a senior media aide to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has openly criticised two commissioners, accusing them of obstructing efforts to promote the administration’s achievements.

The allegation came from Taiwo Gbamila, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Multimedia, who claimed that certain officials within the cabinet are creating difficulties for the governor’s media team.

Dispute Emerges After Stakeholders’ Meeting

The disagreement reportedly became public after comments attributed to the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Abiola Olawoye, during an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Akure.

At the gathering, Olawoye was said to have questioned the effectiveness of the governor’s media aides, suggesting that the team had not adequately highlighted the projects being executed by his ministry.

Gbamila responded strongly to the criticism, insisting that the media unit cannot effectively showcase government projects without cooperation from relevant ministries.

Claims of Limited Access to Project Sites

In a video that circulated widely online, Gbamila alleged that the infrastructure commissioner had not been accessible to the media team since assuming office.

He claimed that this lack of cooperation had made it difficult for media aides to gather information and document projects across the state.

According to him, several attempts were made to establish communication, including phone calls and messages sent through official channels, but these efforts allegedly did not receive responses.

Media Team’s Role in Promoting Government Projects

Gbamila explained that the media unit had been tasked with identifying and promoting ongoing projects initiated by the governor’s administration.

He noted that the committee responsible for this work was formed by the Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, with the aim of ensuring that government activities are properly communicated to the public.

However, he argued that without support from ministries overseeing the projects, the media team cannot effectively present the administration’s progress to citizens.

Funding Concerns Raised

Beyond the issue of access, the aide also raised concerns about financial challenges affecting the media unit.

He alleged that the Commissioner for Finance, Wunmi Isaac, had withheld operational grants meant for the governor’s media office for several months.

According to Gbamila, the lack of funding has made it increasingly difficult for the team to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

He further claimed that despite these challenges, the media aides had remained silent for a long time out of respect for internal conflict resolution processes.

Efforts to Manage the Situation Internally

Gbamila noted that the Chief Press Secretary had repeatedly urged the media team to remain calm while efforts were made to resolve the situation internally.

He suggested that Adeniyan had personally intervened on several occasions to ensure the team could continue functioning despite the financial constraints.

The aide described the situation as frustrating, arguing that criticism directed at the media team does not reflect the internal difficulties they face.

Commentary and Analysis

The disagreement within Ondo State’s communication structure highlights the importance of coordination among government agencies when managing public information.

Effective governance often depends not only on project execution but also on transparent communication with citizens. When ministries responsible for projects and the media units tasked with reporting them operate without coordination, public messaging can become inconsistent.

Political observers note that internal disputes between government officials, especially when aired publicly, can sometimes overshadow the achievements of an administration.

For the Aiyedatiwa government, resolving the issues between commissioners and the governor’s media team may be essential to ensuring that government programmes and projects are properly communicated to the people of Ondo State.