Governor Abiola Ajimobi clocked six in office on May 29, 2017. He is completing his second term in office, a feat nobody has achieved in the history of the pace-setter state.
The 67-year old Constituted Authority of Oyo state has really been loud on his achievements so far as the trumpet blows with such a resonance.
The governor boasted of being the best Governor in Nigeria, ruling with ‘prudence’, claim a good number of opposition parties discarded and scored the two-termed administration of Governor Ajimobi as a fantastic failure.
On a more critical ground, here are what Inside Oyo gathered from people across the state.
On Security:
Governor Ajimobi was portrayed to have successfully availed security and peace for the people of Oyo through enforcement of Security apparatus like ‘Operation Burst’ to combat the thuggery of Road Transport Workers and other criminalities which have beforehand defiled peace in the state. This was stated by the Executive Assistant on Political Matters of the state, Moronkola Thomas.
Members of the opposition parties gave words on the contrary to this assertion. Mr. Nureni Adeniran, who is the secretary of Accord said the insecurity has been “overblown” in the state.
Also, the Publicity Secretary of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr. Akeem Azeez also exposed that:
“We equally have area boys committing atrocities in Oyo in broad daylight while smoking weed unchecked.
“The robbery incidents have been on steady increase. Oyo State residents have seen a rise in area boys’ gangsterism, particularly the One million boys terrorising innocent residents.”
On Road Construction:
Nureni Adeniran has lamented bitterly saying:
“Most of the road constructions were cosmetic and done in areas visible to visitors to the state. The government of neglected roads leading to the hinterlands. He pointed out that most of the investments in road construction have not yielded the commensurate impact on the common man on the street”.
The Mokola flyover bridge apart from being a far cry from a modern bridge, and had not even solved the gridlock it was aimed at solving”.
On Education
Commissioner for Information, Arulogun, recounted the government’s achievement in education, especially in the setting up of School Governing Boards, is about the only initiative that could not be tackled by critics stating that the Ajimobi’s administration modernized education.
The government also established the first Technical University in the state.
This was faulted by the Publicity Secretary of Accord, Engr Akeem Olatunji who said:
“I am still amazed that a Governor that find it difficult to pay LAUTECH staffs their outstanding 9 months salaries could release N2.4 billion to fund a white Elephant’s Technical University. Oh my God, what a misplacement of priorities.”
On Health care
While the state government seemed to have done well in the health sector providing free health services to more than 300,000 people through the free health mission programme even in the state’s Adeoyo Hospital.
Hon. Asimiyu Alarape who is a former speaker of the State House of Assembly and factional chairman of PDP argued that:
“The general hospitals in the state have been left to rot and suffer as no new equipment were procured as claimed by the government.”
Also, Akeem Azeez of SDP attributed the achievements in the health sector to other foreign investors.
In his words:
“All thanks to MTN who came to renovate Adeoyo General Hospital. Our General hospitals have become an eyesore. It pains me when this government claimed glory that does not belong to them.”
“USAID has sponsored Free Net distribution throughout the state to prevent malaria in the state and they used community leaders to distribute same. How does the reduction in Malaria attack become Oyo State’s effort?, he queried.
“Thank God MTN came to the aid of Adeoyo Hospital by renovating and equipping it. The Hospital stinks like never before just like the rest all over the state. How many top government functionaries patronise state owned hospital? Oyo health sector is an eyesore”, he stressed.
On the socio-economic status of the state, Akeem Olatunjj condemned it holistically, saying that:
“Governor Ajimobi is the most lucky governor in the history of Oyo State having came in at a time the crude oil was at utmost high at the international market but he only succeeded in squandering the revenues accrued to the state from through federal allocations and IGR.”
“What the APC led administration in Oyo State has to show for their 6 years are debts in excess of N200 billion apart from over N50 billion owing workers in the state. Oyo State under the present APC government is already having the characteristics of a failed state as government is finding it difficult to meet her financial commitment to her citizens.
