The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has taken a swipe at Governor Seyi Makinde over his lamentation against economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government describing the governor’s action as shameful and hypocritical.
Organizers of the protest rally made up of the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and members of the civic society organizations reportedly mobilized to the Office of the Governor, on Tuesday, and they arrived at the waiting hands of Gov. Makinde who, in his address, lamented the hunger, anger and hardship in the land which, he said, must be addressed immediately to avoid dire consequences.
While reacting to the development in a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC regretted that “Gov. Makinde has grown more wings on his penchant for misleading the public and sacrificing others for his ineptitude in government. Funny enough, the PDP dominated State House of Assembly spoke in the same tone on same day and we understand the script being played by the governor.
“Gov. Makinde holds the record of the only governor, in Nigeria, who constantly blames the sitting President for his own failure to add value in his state. Out of the 36 governors, the Oyo state helmsman was the only one who criticized President Bola Tinubu over the removal of fuel subsidy when he stated that the decision was untimely and not well thought out. This was what he did to former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2019 and 2023 as he distanced himself from Aso Villa on account of ego and thereby denied the Pacesetter state a lot of opportunities for four years.
“As he is wont to do, Makinde attempted to take advantage of the labour protest on Tuesday to heap all the blame of the bad economy in the country on the federal government forgetting that governors like him were more culpable for the extent which quality of life has degenerated. Why blame President Tinubu for stopping wasteful spending on fuel subsidy when the decision has been enabling you to collect improved allocations in the last nine months although without much to show for it?
“Oyo state government has received over N207billion in allocations from Abuja since May last year and this excludes the billions of naira accrued to the 33 local government councils which the governor hijacked from them. Rather than use the whopping allocations to create wealth, Gov. Makinde mopped up more funds from loans, grants, IGR and illegal sale of government assets without accountability. So, who then address hunger, poverty and unemployment in Oyo state when the governor always engages in wasteful spendings, capital flight and misplaced priorities?
“We challenge Gov. Makinde to work out an ideal living wage for civil servants in the state, allow elected local government council officials to perform as enshrined in the constitution, empower farmers to increase their productivity and put a stop to opening the vault of the state to foreigners. If the governor could do these, poverty and hunger would be a thing of the past in Oyo state and the Pacesetter state would assume its pride of place among the comity of states in the world.
“Gov. Makinde should note that he cannot fool the whole world all the time as there is an expiring time for the hanky-panky game he has been playing with some characters in Abuja who take him for a friend of Mr. President. We have it on good authority that Makinde is already preparing the ground for 2027 and he is prepared to spare no effort to ensure that his PDP return to power at the centre. While we have no problem with his ambition and antics, it is important he is told in clear term that it would not be business as usual henceforth.” Oyo APC stated.
