Politics
Group asks Folarin to explain role in failed Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin road project, Says traps set for Oyo people ’ll fail,
An Oyo State-based socio-political group, Oyo Kajola Group (OKG), has flayed the Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Senator Teslim Folarin for claiming in an address to his party loyalists that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set two traps for the government of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, which according to him it cannot escape.
The OKG, in a statement by its Media Coordinator, Mr. Adebayo Ayandele, on Thursday, said that the statement credited to the Senator has exposed the evil intention of the APC, its members and that of the Senator in question.
“By that statement, we are left in no doubt that the APC has the sinister motive of seizing power at all cost through the Court, an intention which has no basis and will fail woefully,” the OKG said.
The group maintained that whatever trap has been set to derail good governance, which the Makinde administration has been delivering in the state, would hit the rocks because the Governor was massively elected by Oyo State people and has continued to endear himself to them through policies and programmes that are already yielding fruits.
The statement noted that Folarin’s assertion, contained in a video clip, was a timely revelation that forces of darkness in the APC were hellbent on destabilizing the government of Makinde.
It warned that any plan to entrap the people Oyo State with fraudulent Court judgment and foist on the people an already rejected candidate would contend with stiff opposition and the wrath of the people.
The group warned the APC leaders, especially Folarin, to perish the thoughts of stealing the popular mandate given to Makinde, because according to the OKG, it will remain a pipedream that can never materialize.
“Before such APC leaders go about deceiving innocent persons, they, including Folarin would need to explain their roles in the failed Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin road contract on which N2billion of Oyo State tax payers’ money was wasted without a tangible result,” the group said.
According to the Oyo Kajola Group, Folarin’s statement was unguarded and irresponsible, adding that the Senator’s insistence that “they could not allow another party except the APC to govern Oyo State,” came a few weeks after the trio of former Governors Adebayo Alao-Akala, Abiola Ajimobi and Folarin had a meeting in Abuja.
“We in the Oyo Kajola Group and by extension the people of Oyo state were not surprised by Senator Folarin’s statement. Indeed, no resident of Oyo State expects decorum or finesse from Folarin, because of his known political history. What no one expected was that he would, like a palm wine drinker, openly seek to truncate the wishes generally expressed by the people of Oyo State durin the March 9, election.
“We believe that Folarin’s unguarded moment was God’s way of exposing APC’s plan to derail the government of Oyo State and deny the people of the good governance they are already enjoying under Governor Makinde.”
The group queried the real reason behind Folarin’s outburst, wondering if he was reacting to Makinde’s actions in exposing the rot left behind by his cousin, Senator Ajimobi or protecting his own interest, saying: “But before Folarin and his evil traps setters in the APC continue in their doomed voyage, which will ultimately consume them and be the beginning of the end for them politically, we would like the Senator to explain what he knows about the Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin road contract awarded to Oladiran Trades and paid N2 billion mobilization funds.
“It would interest the public to know that Governor Seyi Makinde had, after revoking the contract from the incompetent contractor supported by the APC leaders, seized the contractor’s Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) and recovered N1billion to the coffers of the state.
“We are certain that the anger of the clique of trap-setters is mainly against the insistence of Governor Makinde that their failed company must refund the people’s money illegally appropriated.
“To come clean, the trap-setting senator should tell Oyo State people what transpired on the project.
“From information available to us, we know that Governor Makinde, after revoking the failed Moniya/Ijaiye/Iseyin road contract, gave a directive that Oyo State’s money should be retrieved from the contractor. We also know that experts from the Oyo State Ministry of Works evaluated the works done by the failed contractor and valued the work at N850 million, leaving about N1.150 billion hanging in the pockets of the contractor.
“We are not at a loss as to the fact that the Governor’s insistence that the last kobo of Oyo State’s money spent on the contract must be retrieved has greatly unsettled some politicians who benefitted from the N2 billion largesse. Could Senator Folarin be one of those beneficiaries? Is he upset that Makinde uncovered traps to siphon Oyo State’s money and blocked them? The senator really has to explain the reason for his venom-laden statements contained in the video.
The group said: “Of a truth, prior to Folarin’s video, we had gathered that a number of disgruntled politicians of the APC have been holding nocturnal meetings to unfold sinister motives and plots against the people of Oyo State and democratic governance.
“Therefore, we want to categorically state that any plan to entrap the people Oyo State with fraudulent Court judgment and foist on them a rejected candidate, would be met with stiff opposition and the full wrath of the people.
“We are using this opportunity to serve a timely notice to President Muhammadu Buhari, well-meaning Nigerians and the international community that some APC leaders in Oyo State, with backing from some desperate politicians in the South-West, have perfected plans to use their corrupt contacts in the nation’s Judiciary to rape democracy and frustrate the wishes of the majority of Oyo State people as expressed on March 9, 2019 when they elected Governor Seyi Makinde with over 515,000 votes.
“These individuals, who are already shopping for Supreme Court justices that will allegedly do their evil bidding, are leveraging on the APC’s control of the Federal Government and all the security apparatus in their bid to subvert the will of Oyo State people. But the people are more than prepared for them and would match them in action and reaction if they won’t desist from the evil plot.”
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
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, faces a tumultuous time as members of his ward, the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, have suspended him.
It was announced by the Executive Council of Ganduje Ward, led by Haruna Gwanjo, during a press briefing in Kano on Monday.
The suspension comes amidst lingering corruption allegations, notably surrounding a viral video from 2017 depicting Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollar notes as a bribe and stuffing them into his garments.
Despite Ganduje’s initial denial and maintenance of innocence, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) administration, under Governor Abba Yusuf, has reopened the case.
The Kano High Court is set to arraign Ganduje on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, on charges including bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds.
Mega Icon Magazine gathered that the allegations involve the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38 billion in bribes. The State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, confirmed that Ganduje, along with his wife and six others, will face trial.
The Yusuf administration has vowed to present 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of the State High Court, indicating the seriousness with which the case is being pursued.
Hon. Francis Kehinde Omotoso, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate for Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, has pledged to provide responsible and purposeful leadership if elected into office.
In a statement released by his media office on Monday and made available to journalists, Omotoso assured the electorate of his commitment to ensuring accountability in the management of the council’s affairs.
Emphasising his dedication to inclusivity, he promised to involve all stakeholders in his administration, adhering to the principle of openness in governance.
The two-term former councilor in the council further noted the importance of grassroots development in driving national progress, asserting that focusing on local government-level development would contribute significantly to poverty eradication.
Speaking on the potential impact of his leadership, the APC nominee stressed that promoting peace and facilitating rapid development within the council and the state at large were among his primary objectives.
“I want to assure the good people of Ido Local Government Area of purposeful leadership in the interest of peace and for the speedy development of our council area and, by extension, Oyo state,” he stated.
In his appeal for support, Omotoso urged the electorate to turn out in large numbers and cast their votes without hesitation for him, and all the APC councillorship candidates representing the ten wards in the council area in the forthcoming local government election billed for April 27, 2024.
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