The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has flagged off the reconstruction of two collapsed bridges in Ibadan Southwest and Ido Local Government Areas of Oyo State, pledging to personally finance both projects.

The bridges, located at Poopola in the Bolumole area of Ringroad and Oloruntumo in Apata, have remained in disrepair for years, disrupting movement and economic activities in the affected communities.

Speaking during the flag-off exercises on Tuesday, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency said his decision to undertake the reconstruction was informed by the hardship residents had endured and the need to restore vital access routes.

“I am here to ensure that this collapsed bridge, which has remained unattended to since 2021, is reconstructed and that our people are relieved of the difficulties they have faced over the years,” he said.

Oseni disclosed that both projects would be handled by Menza Iffany Construction Company, with work scheduled to commence simultaneously and completion targeted within two to three months.

The APC chieftain said preliminary activities would include the removal of collapsed materials and excavation for the construction of retaining walls, adding that technical guidance had been provided to ensure proper execution.

Describing the projects as practical interventions with direct benefits for the affected communities, he said infrastructure challenges that hinder people’s movement and livelihoods deserved urgent attention.

“Development should translate into tangible improvements in the lives of the people. These bridges are important to the communities they serve, and I am committed to ensuring that the work is completed within the stipulated period,” he added.

The Poopola Bridge, which collapsed in 2021, connects Old Nepa to Adeoyo State Hospital, Orita and Oluyole, while the Oloruntumo Bridge, which has been broken for about 15 years, serves Oloruntumo, Aba Ayinde and other neighbouring communities.

Oseni said his intervention in Oloruntumo followed earlier support for the renovation of the community hall. He explained that after receiving photographs showing the deplorable condition of the bridge, he considered it necessary to visit the community and personally assess the situation before committing to its reconstruction.

Community representatives at both locations welcomed the intervention, expressing optimism that the reconstruction would ease transportation difficulties, improve access and stimulate economic activities.

The Poopola community chairman, Pa Alex, recalled that residents had sought government assistance since 2021, while the Oloruntumo youth leader, Rasheed Adewale Opakan, described the proposed reconstruction as a welcome development that would open up the community.

In a statement announcing the flag-off, Oseni’s Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, said the intervention reflected the lawmaker’s commitment to responding to pressing community needs through practical development initiatives.

The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has promised prompt payment of salaries, allowances and other entitlements to workers, saying their welfare would be a priority if elected governor in 2027.

Alli’s promise comes amid industrial actions by medical and dental officers in the Oyo State public service and lecturers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, over unresolved welfare issues and outstanding entitlements.

Members of the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State (AMDO), who provide medical services in government health facilities, commenced a seven-day warning strike on Monday, October 26, while members of the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began an indefinite strike on Thursday, October 29.

The two industrial actions have raised concerns over healthcare delivery in government hospitals and the disruption of academic activities at the state-owned university.

Reacting to the development, Alli criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over the unresolved disputes, accusing his administration of failing to adequately address workers’ welfare and the challenges confronting the state’s healthcare and education sectors.

In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, Bisi Oladele, the APC candidate described the strikes as disturbing, particularly given their implications for patients and students.

He questioned how a government that consistently proclaimed its commitment to workers’ welfare could allow disputes over outstanding allowances and the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement to degenerate into industrial action.

According to the statement, AMDO’s demands include payment of outstanding allowances, restoration of salaries of medical personnel transferred from field assignments to the Ministry of Health and resolution of other welfare-related issues.

The LAUTECH ASUU branch is demanding implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, payment of outstanding earned academic allowances and promotion arrears, as well as improvements in the university’s facilities and administrative structure.

Alli expressed particular concern over the implications of the doctors’ strike for residents who depend on public hospitals, especially pregnant women, children, pensioners and low-income families.

“At a time when Oyo State government hospitals are struggling with shortages of medical personnel, inadequate equipment and other operational challenges, the state can ill-afford the prolonged withdrawal of services by its doctors and dental officers.

“The consequences are borne not by government officials who can afford private medical care, but by ordinary citizens, particularly pregnant women, children, pensioners and low-income families who depend on public healthcare facilities. Every additional day of this strike raises serious concerns about access to emergency treatment, continuity of care and the welfare of vulnerable patients,” the statement quoted him as saying.

The APC candidate also faulted Makinde for allegedly prioritising political activities outside the state while the disputes remained unresolved, arguing that the governor should concentrate on addressing the challenges confronting residents rather than pursuing his presidential ambition.

He described the situation as a contradiction of the administration’s repeated claims about its commitment to workers’ welfare, insisting that government must demonstrate its concern through the prompt settlement of legitimate entitlements and improved working conditions.

The campaign organisation appealed to the striking medical personnel and lecturers to remain open to meaningful dialogue, while acknowledging their right to pursue legitimate employment demands through lawful means.

It also called on the state government to make immediate contingency arrangements to protect patients requiring emergency and life-saving medical attention throughout the period of the industrial action.

Reaffirming his commitment to workers’ welfare, Alli promised that his administration, if elected, would prioritise regular payment of salaries and allowances, constructive engagement with labour unions and improved facilities across public hospitals.

“Unlike Governor Makinde, Senator Alli will place the welfare of healthcare professionals, education and the wellbeing of the people at the heart of his administration.

“His government will prioritise prompt payment of salaries and allowances, constructive engagement with medical personnel and the provision of modern equipment and essential facilities in public hospitals,” the statement added.

Defectors accuse governor of neglect, vow to work for APC victory in 2027

The political camp of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has suffered a major setback following the defection of more than 200 former councillors to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former councillors, who served in the legislatures of the state’s 33 local government areas between 2021 and 2024, announced their defection on Tuesday, declaring their readiness to mobilise their supporters for the victory of APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The defectors, who also claimed to have thousands of supporters behind them, were received at the APC state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, by the party’s state executive members led by its chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo.

The former Senate Leader and Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Teslim Folarin, and members of his team were also present at the secretariat on a courtesy visit when the defectors arrived.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Muili Kazeem Arowodana said their decision to leave the ruling Allied People’s Movement was driven by what he described as years of neglect, hardship and unfair treatment under the Makinde administration.

Arowodana said the former councillors served for three years without the benefits and opportunities they expected, accusing the governor of denying them the means to meet the needs of their constituents.

“We have wasted a lot of years in the Omititun camp of Governor Seyi Makinde. We have suffered untold hardship, dehumanisation and deprivation,” he said.

He alleged that funds meant for local governments were diverted through the joint account arrangement, leaving the councils with inadequate resources to execute projects and meet the needs of residents.

The former councillor also complained about poor salaries, the absence of allowances and the alleged withholding of severance benefits, which he said had left many former councillors struggling financially.

He further accused the governor of concentrating decisions on projects, contractors and costs in his administration, leaving elected representatives with little opportunity to attract meaningful development to their communities.

Arowodana said the group had decided to move on politically, expressing confidence that the APC would provide a better platform for their ambitions and the development of their communities.

He also declared the group’s support for Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s preferred option for the 2027 governorship election.

According to him, the former councillors would deploy their grassroots connections to mobilise voters for Alli and other APC candidates, insisting that they were determined to help the party secure victory at the polls.