Politics
Makinde runs a voodoo administration, Oyo APC alleges
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has claimed that Governor Seyi Makinde would attract no meaningful development to the state at the end of his expected eight years in office if he continued with an alleged voodoo approach to governance as against the purposeful, pragmatic and results-oriented leadership desired by the masses.
APC’s latest outburst may have come against the backdrop of a recent report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which revealed that Oyo and 27 other states in Nigeria attracted no single foreign investment to their domain in the first half of the year (2023).
In a statement issued on Wednesday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC lamented that Oyo stated had entered a reverse gear since 2019 when the present Gov. Makinde came on board “but the handlers of the PDP administration have always been thriving on propaganda, grandstanding and subterfuge. A good example is the orchestrated gas project which the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, came to inaugurate a few months ago but it turned out another scam.
“Meanwhile, the revelation contained in the NBS report was just the tip of the iceberg as no credible or honest assessor would the Makinde government highly on key performance indices. Where there are no new investments, unemployment would rise astronomically but Gov. Makinde gives the impression that he has created several thousand jobs and we ask a pertinent question; where are the jobs in Oyo state?
“The same governor tells the world he donates service vehicles to all the security agencies in the state and we ask; how have they improved the security architecture of the state in the last 50 months? Ritualists, kidnappers, vandals, armed robbers, and other criminal elements operate freely in all parts of the state every hour and residents are helpless but the government paints a picture of water-tight security.
“The present administration is popular for perennial patching of the same bad spots on major roads as repair works are handled haphazardly to pave the way for unending spending on the same thing. Most township roads are left unattended they do not give any attention to access roads, particularly in Ibadan and other major towns and cities. The development of infrastructure took a break the moment Gov. Makinde assumed office in 2019.
“Engr. Makinde will go down in history as a governor who relegated local government administration for eight years as he never leaves anyone in doubt of his disregard for the rule of law as this concerns constitutional democracy. In summary, if a government has failed in improving all the key sectors of the economy and the public is still being made to believe it has performed well, the head of such administration must be good at voodooism.” Sadare stated.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
The House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency Oyo State, Hon. Prince Akinmoyede Olafisoye Wasiu has initiated another skill acquisition and capacity-building training for no fewer than 300 members of his constituency.
The initiative which is being organized in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan is part of a strategic effort by the lawmaker to foster rural development of cooperative for their economic emancipation and break the shackles of poverty so as to alleviate the impact of the high cost of living among the people in Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency he represents.
The training programme is coming up on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Faith Joe Event Centre hall. Alegongo, Ibadan by 8.00am.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the lawmaker, Alimi Abdullahi stated that the capacity-building is designed to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial skills with a view to building sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of lives of the people of Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency.
All the participants for the training are expected to be at the venue by 8am so as not to miss any part of the training.
-
Metro16 hours agoGrim Friday: Man, Wife, Grandson Perish in Ibadan Fire
-
News2 days ago
Bank Robberies Now History in Lagos Since 2014 – IGP
-
Crime & Court2 days ago
Human Rights Lawyer, Dele Farotimi, Granted ₦30m Bail
-
News15 hours ago
NNPCL Refutes Shutdown Claims: Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational
