Politics
Oyo Coalition Collapse: APC sympathizes with Governor Makinde
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has blamed Governor Seyi Makinde for the final collapse of the coalition arrangement upon which he got to power in 2019 as the opposition party stated that the governor deserved sympathy in view of the rate at which he was allegedly being deserted by disappointed political gladiators midway into his four-year tenure.
Oyo APC’s submission apparently came against the backdrop of the Tuesday final withdrawal of virtually all the political bigwigs in the camp of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, from the government of Gov. Makinde and subsequent collapse of all the structures of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) at all levels into the opposition APC in the state.
APC in a statement issued in Ibadan and made available to journalists on Thursday by its Caretaker State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke, through his Personal Assistant (media), Olawale Sadare, saluted the courage of all political gladiators who, together with their teeming followers, decided to pitch their tent with the broom party in what has been described by informed pundits as “master stroke against the confused PDP government in the state”.
“It has again been confirmed that Oyo state is a divine project which is destined for success despite the setback suffered in 2019. Now that virtually all the major coalition partners have deserted Gov. Makinde on account of his failure to honour agreement made voluntary and also his inability to perform in office as a worthy successor to Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, attention has shifted to APC and this is understandable.
“Meanwhile, we can sympathize with Gov. Makinde and the remnants of his political household over their loss of touch even before time. With the kind of power, influence and resources available to an average governor in Nigeria, an average state helmsman who loses so many supporters, allies and benefactors in a few time in office, deserves the pity of all and sundry even though the case of Gov. Makinde was self inflicted and predictable”, Sadare stated.
In the mean time, the leadership of Oyo APC has assured politicians from the camps of Sen. Rashidi Ladoja and ZLP that their joining the APC was a right decision taken and which would not be regretted as “it was a necessary step to arrest the slide in participatory democracy and good governance being foisted again on the state by the PDP administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde.
“We welcome our brothers and sisters from ‘Bodija’ as well as the heroic decision to collapse the entire structures of the ZLP into that of the APC in Oyo state in an unprecedented way. This bold step shall be reciprocated positively as we make bold to state that nobody shall be discriminated against as regards whether they are old or new members. It is even good that this is happening at the time our dear party is carrying out a nationwide membership registration and revalidation exercise.
“The leadership of Oyo APC has instructed our field officers in all the 4,778 Polling Units across the state to accommodate all the new members and get them registered accordingly while we would soon meet major gladiators on the need to fully integrate everyone into the progressive family which is not even new to most of them. The process of rescuing the Pacesetter state from charlatans has begun in earnest and no well meaning stakeholder or member of the society will be left behind”, the statement continued.
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.
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