The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by the chairman of Ibadan North Local Government council, Mr. Seun Olufade, to claim a federal government sponsored project located in Ibadan as one executed by him warning that going ahead with plans to commission the facility would amount to fraud and theft.
The project, a Cassava Processing Plant facilitated by the late lawmaker representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency in House of Representatives, Honorable Olaide Akinremi, is located in Barika Area of Agbowo in Ibadan. The construction and equipment of the ultra modern facility is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration of harboring an army of able-bodied men who move round the nooks and crannies of the state to look for pieces of land to seize in the guise of overriding public interest while those imposed as council officials also also do the same in addition to frustrating infrastructural projects being facilitated or funded by APC federal lawmakers.
“In recent times, we have had many cases of lawless and brigandage in the state as some of the council Chairmen are in the habit of mobilizing thugs to stop the flag-off, construction or commissioning of projects being undertaken by some elected and appointed representatives of the APC citing non-approval of such activities by the state government. A good example is the construction of Brewery-Arolu-Agoro-Adogba-Monatan Road project in Ward 06 of Egbeda LGA which was facilitated by an APC federal lawmaker. The project was stopped by the PDP thugs on the day of its flag-off and that was the end.
“Meanwhile, the leadership of our great Party has uncovered the plan by the Chairman of Ibadan North LGA to roll out the drums this Friday in the name of commissioning a project which he knows next to nothing about with a view to misinforming the world and creating a false impression of a performing council chairman. The Cassava Processing factory located in Barika Area of Agbowo, Ibadan is a brainchild of the APC government at the centre aimed at empowering the people of the grassroots and at the same time, boost the efforts aimed at achieving food security.
“It is, therefore, wrong for the chairman to attempt playing a fast one on the residents of the state by laying a force claim on the project even when it is crystal clear that his administration could not have funded such a massive project because Gov. Makinde has been the one spending the allocations meant for the 33 local government councils in the state since 2019. As a matter of fact, the Agbowo Cassava Processing factory is an APC project and we urge the PDP hawks to steer clear of it and similar projects across the state. At the appropriate time, the good people of the Pacesetter state will ask the appropriate questions on what Gov. Makinde and his lackeys have done with trillions of naira accrued to the state for the period they held sway.
“Finally, we assure the residents of the communities hosting the project to remain calm as efforts are underway for the installation of all the necessary machines and equipment installed in no time while production would commence immediately. They should watch out for the vultures which perch on the eggs laid by other birds to cover up their lack of productivity especially now that we are looking forward to the bye-election to fill the vacuum created by the unfortunate death of our own Hon. Olaide Akinremi”. APC stated.
