The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oyo State chapter, has blamed the last administration in the state under the All Progressives Congress (APC) for incubating the the violent groups that currently threatening the security of the state.
The State’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, who stated this on Friday, said that attempts by APC chieftains to celebrate what they called the legacies of former governor Abiola Ajimobi was misplaced and unfounded.
“We have it on good authority that the current security challenges faced in the state emanate from activities of rival violence-prone groups which the APC administration of Senator Ajimobi allowed to fester, leading to the series of threats to peace and security across the state, which Governor Makinde has been finding solutions to,” the statement read.
The PDP berated the policies of the APC when it ruled Oyo State, describing the opposition party as ‘the architect of present hoodlums-led vandalism in parts of Ibadan in recent times.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Seyi Makinde-led Government will leave no stone unturned to arrest the situation,” the PDP said.
Oyo state PDP made this disclosure in a Press Release signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji, and made available to newmen in Ibadan.
According to the press statement, history will neither forget nor forgive members of the APC for thinking that residents in the state would forget so soon how the now opposition party then allowed One-million Boys reign supreme in Ibadan leaving many residents in perpetual fear.
The ruling party explained that it is of public knowledge how the APC government treated the One-million Boys gang with kid gloves during their reign of terror and allowing the gang grow and spread tentacles so wide that many employable youths whom APC’s draconian government had rendered almost unproductive resorted to hooliganism.
The PDP maintained that of notable among many other acts of terror unleashed on residents of Ibadan was the tragic incident as reported by Vanguard newspaper on 30th December 2016 when the One-million Boys gang unleashed terror on Ibadan residents killing a hairdresser and her child in the process.
The fracas which broke out between two warring rival groups; One-million Boys and Indomie Abe Igi, sacked some parts of Ibadan metropolis like Beere, Born Photo, Ilupeju, Agbokojo,Mapo, Idi-Aro and Akala Way, during the supremacy.
“There are many other distasteful experiences to recount but when the PDP then in the opposition did everything possible to caution the APC government then, it was trivialized because leaders of both rival gangs enjoyed maximum patronage and support from the APC government especially because they help in shutting the voice of opposition and perceived political enemies of the APC,” the statement laments.
PDP added that the present administration under Governor Makinde will not be deterred by what it described as malicious propaganda adopted by the Oyo APC to repair its already battered image and its total rejection by the people who are wiser now.
“We like to set the record straight because whatever we do today either in government or in the opposition, will become history tomorrow, and that will determine if posterity will be kind to us or not.
“The good people of Oyo state can now see very clearly what the monster created by the APC government has turned our dear state into.
“Just like how a northern state government hobnobbed with vicious hoodlums and political thugs in a bid to silence opposition and perceived political enemies, the APC government not only hobnobbed but also channeled state resources to grease the ego of notorious gangs in Ibadan in the name of One-million Boys and Indomie Abe Igi Boys while they were in power.
“This condemnable move we know for sure was not unconnected with the fact that the then APC suffered great bereavement of creative ideas and initiative that could yield visible results in the area of human capital development hence, it resorted to hobnobbing with and financing thugs, hoodlums and other gangs in a failed bid to project a false sense of security and peace in Ibadan.
“What the APC government successfully did was to create a monster in the gangs who were used to free money given to them.
It us clear that by deploying state resources to grease the ego of notorious gangs in a 21st century polity is simply synonymous to what happened in a northern state which was known for romancing violent gangs only for the situation to degenerate as the groups transformed into full blown terrorist organizations who have today subdued the state and degraded its security.
“The Seyi Makinde-led Government has shown unprecedented level of commitment towards security of lives and properties of all residents in the state by the huge investments on security architecture in the state which is clearly before all Nigerians to see.
The statement further read: “The present administration believes the only way to a lifelong financial freedom is self reliance which was why it is investing heavily on youth capacity development and empowerment all geared towards self reliance and sustainability while also improving the state’s internally generated revenue.
“We know as a party in government that the task of changing the narrative through investment on human capital development, especially one directed at reintegrating the hoodlums and gangs from the lifestyle of total dependence on taxpayers money to keeping them silent, will be tough but we are committed to see it through, knowing fully well that it is the responsibility of a true leader to take his followers not just to where they want to go but where they need to be.
“We urge the Oyo state chapter APC to in the spirit of civility and honour cover its face in shame seeing what its thirst to hold on to power at all cost is presently causing the state.
The APC should stop the collective insult to our sensitivities by coming to public space to further expose its shameful legacies.
“Being the party in the opposition does not qualify the APC to promote falsehood and irresponsible political conducts or speak frivolously just to catch the attention of the public.”
