Politics
Oyo 2023: Akala, Folarin, Buhari, Oke vow to lead APC to victory
Leaders and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, made a collective vow to work assiduously with other stakeholders to dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government from power.
At a meeting of the Oyo Central Senatorial district of the APC held at Oyo and which was attended by notable political gladiators within the Progressive fold across the state, all the speakers were unanimous in their call for unity and harmony among leaders and members of the party particularly as the nationwide membership registration and revalidation exercise drew nearer.
In his address at the meeting; former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, expressed optimism about the APC claiming overwhelming victory in all elective posts across Oyo state and Nigeria in 2023, “provided all patriots and party faithful are ready to work together and do the needful to win the confidence of the electorate in all the nooks and crannies.
“In Oyo state, it is only the APC that can stop the APC from winning all the future elections just like it played out in 2019. Now that we have put the past behind us, we must all rise up to take up the challenge and reclaim our dear state from charlatans who are in the saddle at the moment. It is obvious that the real politicians are in the APC while the few ones in PDP have been blocked from participating in governmental affairs.
“To this end, we must be able to put our house in order and also attract those gladiators in the PDP who have been humiliated by the man in power. It is not yet time for intra party struggle for party tickets as what is important now is how to build a strong and virile Oyo APC.” Alao-Akala submitted.
Speaking at the meeting, the lawmaker representing Oyo Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin commended party leaders and members for their steadfastness and loyalty in the previous months “even when it seemed the party would not survive the crisis confronting it immediately the 2019 gubernatorial poll was lost. It is the dawn of a new era and we shall all work together to improve the fortune of our dear party. Right from this moment, I am assuring you that Oyo APC will continue to wax stronger as many people are coming to join us.”
Also commenting, Sen. AbdulFatai Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District called for patience and unity among members of the party across the state.
“We the elected representatives are fully aware of the challenges being faced by most of you in terms of empowerment and we shall continue to work hard to bring succour as desire while we would not shy away from discharging our duty as lawmakers and party ambassadors”.
In their separate remarks; the state Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Chief Akin Oke, and his deputy, Chief ‘Lekan Adeyemo, charged party faithful to do all within their power to mobilize aggressively for existing and prospective members to participate in the forthcoming membership registration and revalidation exercise which, according to them, would be a pointer to the fact that the APC remained the party in the state in the 2023 general election.
Speakers at the event also include; Hon. (Prince) Akeem Adeyemi, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape and Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye.
Other dignitaries who attended the occasion are; Hon. Tolulope Akande-Shadipe, Hon. Akin Alabi, Hon. Seyi Adisa, Hon. Babatunde Isiaka, Hon. Simeon Oyeleke, Engr. Idris Adeoye, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, Dr. Yunus Akintunde, Hon. Bimbo Kolade, Barr. Lowo Obisesan, Barr. Moruff Oyedemi, Engr. Faozey Nurudeen among others.
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.
