OLUSEGUN Mimiko, immediate past governor of Ondo State, on Thursday, August 31, refuted the allegation of a N220 billion debt by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his successor in office, Rather, Mimiko said  he left about N20 billion in the state’s coffer.

Akeredolu, while swearing in 18 commissioners and 10 special advisers on Wednesday, August 30, had painted a gloomy picture of the state finances saying that he inherited N220 billion debt.

But the former governor, responding said a statement in Akure signed by Kayode Akinmade, his former Information commissioner, said: “Our attention has been drawn to the speech made by the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu on the state of finances inherited on February 24, 2017. Former Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

“We are concerned by the figures in the speech and feel obliged to put the records straight. For the avoidance of any doubt, our administration left about N20 billion in the coffers of the state at its exit on February 2017.

“This include: N7.37 billion in the current Account; N7.53 billion as fixed deposit; N1.2 billion in the MDG Account; $346,000 and 443,000Euro in the Domiciliary Account, including the N825 million Sure-P fund at the Local Government Account.

“The above amount, most of which came late into our tenure was to be used to offset a chunk of owed salaries before the then Accountant General made a curious disappearance.’’

Besides, Mimiko said that while he vacated the governorship seat on February 24, the federal allocation for February 2017 salaries was received by Akeredolu February 28, 2017.

“The reports are clear and unambiguous about the fact that Ondo State remained the least borrowed of the six South Western States and of the nine Oil Producing States as at our administrations exit in February, 2017.

“This, in all modesty, must say a lot about our debt management record,” he said further.

– Sept. 1, 2017 @ 19:15 GMT /