Politics
Your plan to frame up opposition leaders will backfire – Oyo APC tells Makinde
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has warned that an alleged plan being worked out by Governor Seyi Makinde to hound and detain some political gladiators, believed to be against his second term bid, ahead of Saturday’s election would have dire consequences if not aborted.
There have been fresh reports of renewed hostilities between Gov. Makinde and some gladiators within and outside his party (PDP) following the outcome of the presidential and national assembly in which the presidential candidate of the APC won with 449,884 votes while his party also cleared all the three Senatorial seats and eight out of the 14 House of Representatives seats with election into two constituencies declared inconclusive. This development was blamed on the failure of Gov. Makinde to give open support to the candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC urged the State Police Command to avoid being reduced to a tool of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunt of opposition figures by the governor and the ruling PDP.
“We have some unimpeachable facts regarding the plans of Gov. Makinde and his hatchet men to hound most political personalities in the state who are either chieftains of the opposition APC or those of the PDP who have been wronged by the governor. The goal is to get the police to keep them out of circulation on Saturday using false accusations and fake security reports.
“Some PMS thugs have already been mobilized to act as baits to track down some of the identified influential political figures as plans have been concluded on how the thugs would be arrested with illegal arms and ammunition in their possession. Upon their scripted arrest, the thugs would then finger some notable politicians as their sponsors and it is on the premise that the implicated persons would be arrested and whisked away to unknown destinations until after the election.
“Another plan being hatched by the PDP is to unleash terror on some communities where identified gladiators would vote. The thugs would make voting exercise practically impossible with sponsored violence and as a result, a lot of people would be disenfranchised and this would reduce the chances of the candidates of the APC who are, believed to be, the major threat to Gov. Makinde and his party.
“Among the Communities marked out for attacks on Saturday are Iwo Road, Bashorun, Monatan, Kudeti, Idi-Arere, Isale-Ijebu, Mapo, Gbenla, Aliwo, Alakia-Isebo, Kumapayi, Olodo, Orita Challenge, Soka Express, Eleta, Oranyan, Oja’gbo, Agugu, Onipasan, Oke-Adu, Apete, and Lalupon- all in Ibadan while Ogbomoso, Oyo, Igbo-Ora, Eruwa, Iseyin, Saki and Igboho are not to be exempted from the violent attacks being planned.
“We have taken necessary action by informing the Inspector General of Police, Director-General of the DSS, and others about the development and we are very sure that the concerned authorities would act swiftly to abort the plans of these disgruntled elements who are bent on truncating the peaceful conduct of the election as desired by all patriots. Lastly, we appeal to the Commissioner of Police and the heads of all other security agencies in the state to be on the alert and give no room for miscreants and their sponsors to operate before, during, and after the election this Saturday.” APC 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.
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