Governor Dapo Abiodun
About 20,000 pensioners and retirees in Ogun State may refuse to vote for Governor Dapo Abiodun in the coming General Election of 2023 as they claimed that he deceived them in 2019 to vote for him on false pretence that he would accord priority to their welfare if elected because his own parents too were pensioners.
According to the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners in the state, Waidi Olayiwola Oloyede, the union fell for the governor’s persuasion then, believing that he would be better than the previous administration in the state and so begged their over 20,000 strong members to vote for him.
In an exclusive chat with THE STATEPOST in his office at the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Secretariat at Abiola Way in Abeokuta recently, Oloyede said his members are now regretting that decision to vote Dapo in the last election as they have been treated badly by the administration of Governor Abiodun who has not even said anything about their gratuity which has remained unpaid since June, 2014.
Speaking in obvious anger and disappointment, Oloyede said: “As I’m speaking with you , he has not even paid our last month’s pension”.
Oloyede said only about a third of his members have so far received their pension for last month while others are still waiting to be attended to.
Enumerating the lists of their woes under the present administration, Oloyede said their pensions in the state remained static since 2007 despite that salaries in the state have been increased about four times now which he said was unconstitutional since pensions too must increase anytime salary increased.
He said his union has written several letters to the governor to attend to their grievances but all to no avail.
“We saw him only once since he assumed office and that was on 19th of November, 2021 after several pleas and letters. What he promised us at that meeting, he has not even done any since then”, Oloyede said.
Oloyede who noted that several of his members were dying out of disappointment and frustration said his union even organised a special prayer session to call for God’s interference in the matter and the governor and his aides were invited but they refused to come as they ignored us totally.
Oloyede who is very wroth with the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun for what he called its non challant attitude to the plights of pensioners repeated bitterly in the course of our chat with him that even pensions are not paid as at when due despite the pittance he is paying us.
Oloyede said his members are now very disappointed and frustrated as they have been treated roughly by the administration of Governor Abiodun who has not even granted them any audience despite all forms of plea.
He said pensioners in the State are now planning to take to the streets in a protest march to press home the demand for their gratuities.
He said the street protest would be total as his members would trek popular streets of Abeokuta, the state capital to make their destitution known to man and would end the trek at the Governor’s Office.
He said instructions have been given to all members to come with mats and coverlets as “we will not leave the Governor’s Office until our demands are attended to. We will be sleeping at the gate of his office”.
He noted that arrangements have been concluded by the union to inform the Police and all security agencies in the state as well as the DSS, the press and all relevant bodies before the protest March commences.
