By Osagie Otabor, Akure

The Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Monday engaged in war of words over alleged plot to use workers’ salaries “to procure” a favourable judgment at the Supreme Court.

An appeal by Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the PDP in last year’s Ondo governorship election, is pending at the apex court.

The PDP Southwest Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, had alleged that Akeredolu was in talks with authorities of the Supreme Court to get favour in the yet-to-be decided governorship judgment in Ondo State.

Atofarati, in a statement, called on organised labour in Ondo State to rise in defence of civil servants by stopping the governor from using their salaries to negotiate the forthcoming Supreme Court judgment.

The statement reads: “It is so unfortunate that the governor and the APC are trying every possible means to win at the forthcoming Supreme Court rulings through negotiations for personal and political interests and not minding the plight of the state civil servants and the present predicaments of the state.

“We are calling on the masses and most especially the state civil servants to be aware and restrict this act of wickedness and oppression in the state.”

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But, Akeredolu, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said he would not be the Supreme Court’s mouthpiece in the face of the PDP’s uncanny attacks.

The governor, however, said it was disturbing to note that a political party, ostensibly speaking for a Senior Advocate, could descend to the unpardonable abyss of branding Honourable Justices of the apex court ‘procurable’ items in the course of their duties to the nation.

Akeredolu, who said workers in the state were not oblivious of the current global economic straits, said he would not sack workers as it were in the days of the PDP, but rather, evolve ingenious means to sail along than leave workers unpaid for months under the guise of paucity of funds.

According to him, “it is, perhaps, laughable that PDP failed to realise that its position grossly violates what it represented while it held sway in Ondo State prior to the current administration. The mindless audacity to owe workers seven months as well as the brazen display of executive recklessness that saw to the sack of over 1,000 workers have both combined to repudiate the opposition party’s thrive at demonising Akeredolu and his government.

“The said press release has merely made spurious allegations aside laying a sandy foundation ahead of the PDP’s leprous efforts at the Supreme Court. There could not have been a better effort at marketing helplessness occasioned by paucity of ideas and lack of direction as displayed by the press release. It showcases ignorantly, PDP’s further slide on the rough path to depression.

“The PDP is, therefore, admonished to focus on its appeal at the Supreme Court and pursue same with the desired legal industry and zeal rather than this voyage of self-denial and blackmail.”