The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has warned the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, against diverting the €55m French Government concessional loan, valued at about N85bn, from healthcare development to what it described as politically motivated projects.

The organisation said the loan, secured for the improvement of healthcare facilities across the state, should be deployed strictly for the purpose for which it was obtained.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group expressed concern over reports that the state government had constituted a committee to determine how the funds would be rapidly spent, describing the timing as suspicious with the 2027 general elections and the end of Makinde’s administration approaching.

It also noted that repayment of the facility would commence under the next administration, making transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the funds imperative.

The statement read in part, “It has come to our notice that Governor Makinde has constituted a committee to design how the money will be swiftly spent under the guise of executing some projects four months to the general election and eight months to the end of his government.

“It will be recalled that the Oyo State House of Assembly in June this year approved the governor’s curious request to raise N200bn bond to refinance the choking debt into which Makinde has plunged the state.”

The organisation also questioned the state government’s financial decisions, arguing that increased monthly allocations to the state and the 33 local government areas following the removal of fuel subsidy should provide additional resources to tackle pressing developmental challenges.

It said the alleged plan to rapidly deploy the loan was coming at a time when the state was already facing a significant debt burden.

The campaign organisation, however, said it would support any genuine effort by the government to improve healthcare delivery, but demanded full disclosure of how the French facility would be utilised.

It called for the publication of the loan’s terms, disbursement schedule, contractors to be engaged, procurement procedures, implementation timeline and the hospitals expected to benefit from the project.

“Oyo State citizens and residents deserve to know how every euro will be spent. The money must not be seen as another opportunity for inflated contracts, hurried procurements, questionable consultancy fees or projects disguised to primarily fund political activities,” it said.

The group urged Makinde to resist committing the state to contracts or projects that might not be completed or independently verified before the expiration of his administration.

It also called on the Oyo State House of Assembly, civil society organisations, professional healthcare bodies and the media to closely monitor the utilisation of the facility.

According to the organisation, residents of the state need functional hospitals, trained medical personnel, essential medicines and modern medical equipment rather than what it described as “cosmetic renovations” or abandoned projects.

The campaign organisation said it would continue to scrutinise the deployment of state resources, particularly as the 2027 elections approach, and hold the administration accountable for expenditures it considers questionable.

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has questioned the whereabouts and functionality of the surveillance aircraft recently acquired by the state government following Sunday’s attack on an Operation Burst base along the Igbeti-Igboho Road.

The party said the attack, which lasted for more than an hour, raised questions about the deployment of the aircraft, particularly as the incident occurred in the same axis where the government reportedly said the security equipment had been deployed.

The suspected bandits reportedly attacked the Operation Burst base in Oorelope Local Government Area, carting away some items and setting fire to the security post and a vehicle.

No casualty was recorded in the attack.
Operation Burst is a joint security outfit comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

In a statement yesterday, the APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the incident as a matter of concern and challenged Governor Seyi Makinde to explain the status of the surveillance aircraft.

Sadare said it was ironic that the attackers could operate for more than one hour in an area where the government had reportedly located the base station for the aircraft.

“Just yesterday, the security of the entire Pacesetter State was shaken to its roots when insurgents unleashed terror on the Operation Burst Base located along Igbeti-Igboho Road in Oorelope Local Government Area of the state.

“At the end of the over one-hour operation, the gunmen carted away some important items and set ablaze the security post and a vehicle. Thankfully, no casualty was recorded during the attack,” he said.

The opposition party recalled the state government’s announcement last month that it had received and deployed two aircraft for security surveillance.

According to Sadare, the prolonged attack should prompt the government to explain whether the aircraft were operational and being effectively deployed to monitor vulnerable areas.

“Since the day Governor Makinde celebrated the purported delivery of the two aircraft, nothing has either been heard or felt about their deployment to survey the airspace in the state,” he said.

He added: “Sadly, Igbeti, where the base station for the aircraft was reportedly situated, came under heavy attack for more than an hour and there was no surveillance aircraft to track the attackers and possibly repel them.

“Therefore, it is safe to say that the whole story about security surveillance aircraft is another question begging for answers.”

Sadare also criticised what he described as the huge resources committed to the acquisition of the surveillance aircraft, alleging that the reported N7.8 billion expenditure could have been deployed to other security technologies and facilities.

He further challenged Makinde to account for the increased revenue accruing to the state, rather than concentrating on criticism of the economic policies of the Federal Government.

“On many occasions, Governor Makinde has said that the removal of fuel subsidy and flotation of the naira by the Tinubu administration were designed to punish Nigerians and enrich the governors.

“Going by his claims, he has been enriched tremendously as a serving governor, but the fundamental question is what he has done to transform the life of the common man in Oyo State in the last seven years,” he said.

The APC spokesman alleged that the state government had failed to make adequate use of its resources to address pressing challenges facing residents.

“It is apparent that Governor Makinde has failed to utilise the humongous revenues to transform the state as he continues to waste taxpayers’ money on inanities and cosmetic projects,” Sadare alleged.

The party urged the state government to clarify the operational status of the surveillance aircraft and strengthen security measures in vulnerable communities across the state, particularly in the wake of the latest attack.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Hon. Osuolale Niyi Yusuf, has promised to sustain quality representation and development in the constituency if elected.

Osuolale made the promise on Saturday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital while speaking with journalists on his ambition and his plans for the constituency.

The former Education Secretary and councillor said his focus would be on effective legislation, people-oriented representation and the facilitation of projects that would address the immediate needs of the people.

According to him,  representation should not be limited to attending legislative sessions, but must also involve listening to the people, understanding their challenges and ensuring that their concerns receive attention at the appropriate level.

The APC chieftain said people of Ibarapa East/Ido need a representative who would remain close to them and continue to engage with them after elections as it is presently witnessed.

“I want to assure the people of Ibarapa East/Ido that if given the opportunity, I will give them quality and effective representation. My interest is to represent the people well and ensure that projects and interventions are directed towards areas where they are most needed,” he said.

Osuolale also acknowledged the work of the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, saying that his performance had created a standard that any successor would have to respect.

“Hon. Aderemi Oseni has set a standard that must not be lowered. Whoever is coming after him must be prepared to sustain the quality of representation and, where possible, improve on it,” he said.

The APC candidate said his experience in public service had given him an understanding of the importance of consultation and accountability in governance, stressing that he would make the people central to his legislative activities.

He identified education, infrastructure, youth development, women empowerment , health care services among others as areas that deserved continued attention, adding that he would work with community leaders and other stakeholders to attract meaningful development to Ibarapa East/Ido.

Osuolale therefore appealed to the people of the constituency to support his aspiration, promising that, if elected, he would regard the mandate as a responsibility to serve rather than an opportunity for personal gain.