Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state  was in Ido town, headquarters of the Ido Local Government to campaign for himself on Monday. 

Local Government Election have been slated for April 27 of this year and the Governor is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that he is declared winner by OYSIEC.

Do I sound confusing? Definitely not.

Governor Makinde is the contestant for the position of Local Government Chairman in the 33 Local Governments in Oyo state.

Reason? The Governor doubles as the State’s Chief Executive as well as the de facto Chairman of the 33 Local Governments while the 33 clowns parading themselves as the Councils’helmsmen are just Chairmen de jure.

What the Yorubas call “Esin inu iwe”.

I will use two incidents that happened simultaneously today to prove what is already known and accepted by the general public, albeit, arguably.

While Governor Makinde was dancing to some Fuji music in Ido town  during the campaign rally, the chairman of Ibadan South West Local Government, one Hon. Kehinde Akande was in a live debate at Fresh FM with the APC candidate, Dr. Abogun and his statements were quite revealing.

A direct question regarding his view about autonomy and independence of Local Governments was put to him by the moderator, Isaac Brown and his response leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

The fellow, sadly and slavishly said that he has no problems with the decision of the Governor (Seyi Makinde) to directly monitor the expenditures of the Local Governments, since, according to him, it was for the purpose of probity and accountability!

This was coming from the Chairman of one of the most populous if not the most populous in Oyo state.

Like his peers who have one time or the other appeared on Radio, he could not point to any tangible project done by him and why would he?

The Governor calls the shots.

This is just on a lighter note, Hon. Kehinde Akande can not correctly identify the collation centre for ward 12 in a Local Government where he had been chairman for almost four years.

That underline the level of redundancy of this fellows parading themselves as Council Chairmen and on whose sake Governor Makinde incurred billions of Naira as judgment debts.

Now, to Governor Makinde’s campaign in Ido.

Is it not interesting that the Governor was in Ido and he didn’t Commission any project done by the Local Government?

In the times of his predecessors, such occasions were used to Commission projects done by the Local Government Chairmen but what will Governor Makinde Commission?

Nothing.

Nothing, because all the projects he mentioned during the campaign rally like the Omi Adio – Ido Road and others were attached to the state Government, even though, the funds were that of the Local Government.

Similarly, all the projects he promised to embark upon in the coming months within the Local Government like the modernisation of the Omi Adio market are projects he will usurp as usual, using the Councils’funds.

If not for the fact that Governor Makinde requires some pliant individuals who will sign out the Councils’funds for him to expend, I bet, there won’t be Local Government Chairmen during his tenure.

A lot of examples abound to confirm Governor Makinde’s illegal usurpation of the functions of the Local Government Chairmen.

Akesan Market is another typical example.

The April 27 Local Government Election is between Governor Makinde as grand Chairman of the 33 Local Governments and the opposition political parties.

The 33 gentlemen flying the tickets for the PDP are just necessary proxies.

I will not dissipate energy on the Governor’s uncharitable boasts that the opposition should wait for another three years, when he would still be the Governor to conduct another election.

I will rather call on the people of the state to be united in removing the “Ajeles” he has foisted on the Local Governments.

Oyo state can not afford another three years of Governor Makinde’s mismanagement of the Local Government resources.

He has bled the state enough through over bloated contracts and debts.

All residents of the state should consider the April 27 Local Government Election as an opportunity to at least salvage the 33 Local Governments from the suffocating hold of the Governor.

Like I said earlier, Oyo state can not afford another three years of continual looting of the Local Governments through the proxies of the Governor.

One would wonder what business the Governor has in the ” modernisation” of Omi Adio market.

Maintenance of the market is purely the responsibility of the Local Government Chairman but under Governor Makinde, even the Parks and abattoirs are directly run by the Governor.

That is the reason why the Local Governments have become comatose.

They have no means of generating IGR as all avenues have been taken away from them by the Governor.

Now, you tell me, Isn’t Governor Makinde not the one contesting on April 27?

Sola Abegunde writes from Oyo State

Prior to assuming the presidency of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu garnered the confidence of the majority of Nigerians with the promise of rescuing the country’s economy from the impending disaster it faced.

For the past 43 years, the Naira has been steadily depreciating against the Dollar, as illustrated in Figure One.

The graphs below unequivocally depict the exponential rise of the Naira against the Dollar from 1979 to 2022. This sustained upward trend would have theoretically resulted in the Naira reaching 2,500 Naira to one Dollar by now.

This situation led some individuals to hoard dollars in anticipation of profiting from further devaluation of the Naira.

However, under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, the Nigerian federal government successfully halted the expected decline of the Naira.

The Naira has appreciated to 1,200 Naira to a Dollar (Figure 2), contrary to the projected 2,500 Naira to one Dollar, based on the exponential pattern observed in Figure One.

This achievement demonstrates unprecedented economic prowess. If this trajectory continues, the Naira may appreciate to 500 Naira against 1 Dollar before the conclusion of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in 2027.

While the purchasing power of the average Nigerian remains relatively low, there is a palpable sense of hope on the rise.

It is hoped that the Economic Team advising the President will continue their efforts to stabilize the economy and prevent its collapse until Nigeria achieves economic prosperity.

The government’s ability to reverse the Naira’s free fall within a year can be likened to a remarkable feat, reminiscent of a lizard falling from the top of an Iroko tree unscathed, then nodding its head in self-applause.

Mr. President, we applaud your efforts.

Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, the Commissioner representing Oyo State at the Federal Character Commission (FCC), writes from Abuja.

Engr Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has disclosed that the nation’s oil and gas reserves have risen to 37.50 billion barrels as of January 1, 2024.

This marks an increase from the 37.046 billion barrels recorded in May 2022.

Komolafe emphasised the implementation of robust policies aimed at enhancing and optimising oil and gas operations across the country.

Notably, gas reserves stand at 102.59 trillion cubic feet (TCF), with non-associated gas reserves reaching 106.67 TCF, culminating in a total of 209.26 TCF of gas reserves.

Addressing concerns during a press conference held in Abuja on Monday regarding crude supply regulation and enforcement, Komolafe underscored the importance of prioritising feedstock supply to local refineries while addressing grievances from oil producers and the Dangote Refinery within specified timelines.

This announcement follows recent reports of a decline in Nigeria’s crude oil production during February and March 2024.

According to data from the April 2024 Monthly Oil Market Report of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria’s crude oil production (excluding condensates) experienced its second consecutive monthly decrease, dropping to 1.231 million barrels per day in March from 1.322 million barrels per day in February.

OPEC attributed this decline, amounting to a reduction of 91,000 barrels per day, to factors communicated directly from Nigeria.