Top Stories
N7.6B Loan : Work With Ajimobi’s Template If …, Oyo APC Group Tells Makinde
Oyo First Initiative (OFI), a youth group within the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has urged Governor Oluseyi Makinde to work towards sustaining the legacy of developmental governance put in place by his immediate predecessor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who did his best to uplift the standard of living of the people.
Apparently reacting to the controversies surrounding the plan to utilize a loan of N7.6b by the Oyo State government, OFI said in a statement issued at the weekend in Ibadan by its State Coordinator, Comrade Ayo Adekanmbi, that the present administration needed to wake up and face the business of governance with all seriousness it deserved.
“It is time Governor Makinde is told in a plain language that trying to erase the indelible footprint of Sen. Ajimobi from history book of the Pacesetter State would amount to an exercise in futility since the record of achievements of successive administrations would always be available for the whole to see. As it stands today, Ajimobi administration is adjudged the best thing to have happened to the state since its creation in 1976.
“It is on record that Sen. Ajimobi came into office in 2011 fully prepared. He realized that the bulk of resources available to the state would be going into servicing recurrent expenditures and he started laying a foundation that would yield prosperity for the state in the nearest future by prioritizing infrastructural development which revolved around improved security architecture and modern physical infrastructure.
“To realize this lofty objective, the option of controlled borrowing to finance key projects became inevitable. If the state government’s wage bill was N5.2b and the monthly allocations hovered between N2b and N4.5b for the eight year period, what magic could have produced many dualized roads in all the major cities, ultra modern overhead bridges, reliable security and effective crime control, Model schools, sustained beautification and urban renewal projects, upgrade of health/medical facilities in public hospitals and many more?
“When the Ajimobi government was working round the clock to ensure a great future for the state, Engr. Makinde made campaign of calumny the hallmark of his electioneering and this culminated in the constant inflation of the state’s debt profile on several occasions until the Debt Management Office (DMO) came up with the true picture recently.
“To set the record straight, it is true that the immediate past administration applied for the said N7.6b loan to achieve an all-encompassing agricultural development goal but the loan request did not materialize. However, similar efforts manifested in the preponderance of grants and other funds which have been collected by the Makinde administration since it came into office. For example; the $611, 000 BESDA fund and the N2.8b UBEC fund made possible after Ajimobi had paid the Counterpart Fund. Same goes for the Primary Health Care (PHC) grant and the $200m World bank intervention fund from which the past administration only spent less than 30 per cent.
“All these were monies secured by the Ajimobi administration for developmental purposes and are now accessible to the present administration without anybody raising an eyebrow since government is a continuum.
Meanwhile, the honeymoon has since been over for Engr. Makinde and it would be unfortunate if he relied on the pseudo populism which earned him the declaration as the winner of the last gubernatorial election in the state by INEC.” Adekanmbi said.
Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo South Senatorial District have endorsed a member of the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The endorsement was announced on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Alice Hall, Ibadan, with party leaders, stakeholders, local government chairmen and state executive members from the nine local government areas in attendance.
The councils represented at the meeting are Ibadan North, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North and Ido.
The stakeholders expressed satisfaction with Oseni’s aspiration, describing it as timely, credible and anchored on tested leadership and grassroots appeal.
Those present at the meeting included Chief Timothy Jolaoso (Ibarapa East); Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe (Ido); Chief Abdulrauf Bello (Ido); Alhaji Muili Oluokun (Ibadan North-West); Alhaji Mufutau Adisa (Ibadan South-East); Alhaji Bello Oladeji (Ibadan North); Prince Gbade Lana (Ibadan North-East); Engr. Olatunji (Ibadan South-West); Comrade Wale Gbadamosi (Ibarapa North); and Alhaja Moji Adetona (Ibarapa Central).
Other party officials in attendance were the senatorial chairman, Alhaji Mojeed Adebayo; the secretary, Fatai Adesina; Welfare Officer, Sunday Babalola; Deputy Women Leader, Alhaja Fatimah Hassan; Auditor, Alhaja Tinu Adigun; Youth Leader, Lekan Adebayo; Ex-Officio member, Kola Amoo; Treasurer, Lateef Ajiboye; and Senatorial Youth Leader, Olalekan Olowe.
A chieftain of the party in Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Shina Alabi, moved the motion for the lawmaker’s endorsement, which was seconded and unanimously adopted by the stakeholders.
Alabi said Oseni’s decision to abide by President Bola Tinubu’s directive to step down his governorship ambition for the senatorial race underscored his loyalty and commitment to party unity.
He said, “Hon. Oseni has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare of the people. His leadership style is inclusive, responsive and development-driven. We are convinced that his emergence as the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District will strengthen the party’s chances and guarantee effective representation.”
He also urged party members to remain united and rally behind credible aspirants with proven capacity and electoral value.
In his remarks, Hon. Aderemi Oseni said his decision to pursue the senatorial seat followed the presidential directives, noting that he accepted the decision in the interest of party cohesion, progress and stability. He recalled that he had earlier prepared for the Oyo South senatorial race in the 2023 general elections, having already purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms as part of an arrangement reached, before stepping down following appeals by party leaders.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the party must close ranks to reclaim political dominance in the senatorial district.
According to him, “There is a huge task ahead, especially with several House of Representatives seats in the district currently held by the opposition. We must work together, mobilise effectively and secure victory for our party and leader, President Bola Tinubu”.
Oseni thanked party leaders and stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his commitment to advancing the interests of Oyo South Senatorial District.
The meeting also had representatives from all nine local government areas, with about 10 leaders from each council in attendance.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.
An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.
However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.
He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.
Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.
He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”
The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.
He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.
Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.
“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.
Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.
Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.
But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.
“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.
He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.
The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.
“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.
Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.
He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.
The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
-
News7 days agoOseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination
-
Politics3 days ago2027: Oseni kicks off Oyo South Senate bid, rallies support for one million Tinubu votes
-
Health1 week agoOyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts
-
Crime & Court1 week agoJoshua crash: Driver faces fresh charges as court adjourns trial