Politics
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.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to resign immediately, alleging that his recent remarks on state security exposed incompetence and an inability to lead.
Governor Makinde, speaking during his acceptance speech as the Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ibadan on Saturday, lamented that he could do little to rescue abducted school children and residents in Oriire Local Government Area due to all security structures being under federal control.
Reacting, APC State Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the governor’s comments as “the height of cluelessness, insincerity, and criminal ineptitude,” warning that such disclosures reflect a dangerous trend among parochial leaders.
Sadare said, “Engr. Seyi Makinde could not find any fault in the nation’s Constitution, yet he swore twice to protect lives and properties of Oyo people. He has long enjoyed the powers of his office, controlling resources and people without challenge, but now faces a serious test, exposing incompetence, cluelessness, and ego.”
He added, “Instead of addressing security challenges, Makinde is exploiting the situation to push a mirage he calls a presidential ambition in 2027. His insensitive comments once again reveal hypocrisy. It is time he quit the office of the governor, having admitted he lacks the capacity to secure the state.”
The APC also recalled that previous governors, including Alhaji Lam Adesina, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, and the late Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, operated under the same constitutional provisions without similar security failures. Sadare particularly praised Ajimobi for establishing a Security Trust Fund to ensure funding and stakeholder involvement in security, in contrast to the current administration.
“Makinde’s presidential ambition is dead on arrival. Our concern is the continued loss, deprivation, and mismanagement the people of Oyo may suffer in the remaining year of his tenure. The state deserves a team player, a sincere and humble governor — qualities Makinde has failed to demonstrate in seven years. He should apologise and step down,” Sadare concluded.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Saturday emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the 2027 general election following the conclusion of the party’s presidential nomination process.
Makinde emerged through consensus and affirmation by party delegates during the exercise, in what party leaders described as a demonstration of unity and confidence in his leadership ahead of the next general elections.
The governor was presented with his Certificate of Return by the National Chairman of the APM, Alhaji Yusuf Dantali, during a ceremony held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, amid cheers from party faithful, delegates and supporters drawn from different parts of the country.
Speaking during the presentation, Dantali said Makinde possesses the leadership qualities, administrative experience and vision required to steer the country towards sustainable growth and national development.
He urged party members across the federation to close ranks and intensify grassroots mobilisation to ensure victory for the party in the 2027 presidential election.
The APM national chairman maintained that the party remained committed to presenting Nigerians with what he described as a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.
According to him, the emergence of Makinde as the party’s flag bearer marked the beginning of a new political movement aimed at restoring hope and strengthening democratic governance in the country.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Makinde expressed appreciation to the leadership of the party and delegates for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to work with stakeholders across political, ethnic and religious divides to advance the party’s vision for national transformation.
The governor assured party supporters of his commitment to inclusive leadership, promising to prioritise policies that would improve economic prosperity, strengthen institutions and enhance the welfare of Nigerians if elected.
Five key members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have been appointed to the party’s campaign committee for the 2026 governorship re-election of Governor Abiodun Oyebanji in Ekiti State.
The Oyo APC leaders on the list include the party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, former Senate leader Teslim Folarin, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Zacch Adedeji, and Remi Oseni.
The list, signed by the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru, reflects the APC’s strategy of deploying experienced political figures with strong grassroots networks to ensure a successful re-election campaign in Ekiti.
“These appointments recognise their political experience and commitment to advancing the party’s agenda,” the source within the party said.
The APC committee is expected to coordinate campaign activities, voter engagement, and messaging, positioning the party for a strong showing in the 2026 governorship election.
-
News1 week agoEid: Oseni Calls for Vigilance, Lauds Security Operatives
-
News1 week agoEid-El-Kabir: JTF warns of Boko Haram, ISWAP attacks
-
Politics5 days agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
News1 week agoOyo Abduction: SWEGOP Demands Swift Rescue of Pupils, Teachers
