The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Makinde

  • Palliatives: Why we delayed distribution – Makinde

    Palliatives: Why we delayed distribution – Makinde

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo has cleared the air on why his government delayed the distribution of palliatives to the residents of the state.

    Apparently reacting to insinuations that he had diverted the funds meant for the palliatives, Makinde said his government did not rush to begin distribution of the palliatives because of the need to effectively plan and embark on sustainable action that would secure the state economy.

    He spoke on Wednesday, August 30, while flagging off the first phase of the distribution of palliative packages to the poor and vulnerable residents of the state.

    The effort, targeted at 200,000 households and one million families in the state is coming up under the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) package to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

    Speaking, Makinde explained that the state, after receiving 3,000 bags of rice from the Federal Government decided to delay the sharing, knowing that the quantity would be inadequate to reach the one million families through the targetted 200,000 households.

    Read Also: Makinde presents N70m Prado Jeep to Saheed Osupa

    He added that to complement the effort, the state government waited till it procured an additional 37,000 bags amounting to a total of 40,000 bags of rice to be shared.

    He noted that the state also had to purchase bags of beans, cassava flour, and vegetable oil from locals “across the zones of the state so as to deliver a truly SAfER package.”

    The distribution simultaneously began in seven locations across zones of the state.

    Addressing the issue of trust deficit that state governments faced regarding utilization of the funds and items received from the Federal Government, Makinde said he was among the first governors to acknowledge receipt of funds and items from the central government.

    He added that he was encouraged by the confidence that the people of the state trusted him on actual disclosure and efficient utilization of funds of the state.

    Makinde said: “Some people have been going round on radio and social media asking the whereabouts of the 3,000 bags of rice given to Oyo State by the federal government.

    “Others are saying the Federal Government gave us N5 billion and we have embezzled it. Some say there is a trust deficit between the government and the people. Is it so in Oyo State? Don’t you love this administration?

    “This administration will not deceive you, we will tell you exactly the way things are.

    “We were one of the first states to acknowledge that the Federal Government gave us 3,000 bags of rice. I stated it in my newsletter of the 10th of August that we planned to distribute this food relief package to 200,000 households.

    “If we distributed the 3,000 bags we received from the federal government to 200,000 households, probably each person will get a cup of rice.

    “If we had rushed out to make naysayers happy, they will still be the first to rush to social media to put out videos of how small the package is. So we took our time to plan because both in the short and long time, we are thinking about securing our economy.

    “We bought an additional 37,000 bags of rice making a total of 40,000 bags of rice. That is why each of the 200,000 poorest households will be getting 10kg of rice. We also procured for each household 5k bag of beans, garri, elubo and a bottle of oil.

    “We know everyone is affected by our present economic realities and that is why other components of the SAfER programme take into consideration other segments of society.

    “We believe in actions, not just in actions but in sustainable actions. That is why while everyone else is talking about palliative, we are talking about Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER).

    “In Oyo state, we are doing SAfER not palliative. So, we are here to deliver you SAfER package. The dictionary meaning of palliative is you treat the symptoms and leave the main cause. in Oyo state, we don’t want to treat the symptoms, we want to attack the root. One thing about sustainable action is that it takes proper planning and strategy.”

    The Nation reports that, as the governor was flagging off the distribution in Oyo, his deputy, Bayo Lawal was doing same in Saki area of the state.

    Top government functionaries that were also flagging off the same exercise in other parts of the state simultaneously included: the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Olanike Adeyemo (Iseyin); the Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi (Ogbomoso); Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin (Ibarapa); Deputy Speaker, Mohammed Fadeyi (Ona Ara); and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun (Ibadan North West).

    ReplyForward
  • N3.4b debt: Oyo ex-council chiefs accuse Makinde, Assembly of witch-hunt

    N3.4b debt: Oyo ex-council chiefs accuse Makinde, Assembly of witch-hunt

    The 796 ex-local government chairmen and councillors in Oyo State have accused Governor Seyi Makinde and the House of Assembly of witch-hunt them, owing to their insistence on being paid the outstanding of their salaries and allowances amounting to N3,374,889,425.60.

    The Supreme Court had, in a judgment on May 7, 2021 ordered the Oyo State Government to pay the ex-council chiefs, who the apex court found to have been unlawfully sacked on May 29, 2019 by Makinde, their salaries and allowances for the three years they ought to have served.

    By its own computation, the Oyo State Government agreed to pay N4,874,889,425.60 out of which it paid N1.5b, leaving a balance of N3,374,889,425.60, which outstanding judgment debt the Court of Appeal affirmed during a recent hearing on an appeal filed by Makinde, seeking instalment payment of the debt, which request the ex-council chiefs have faulted.

    Read Also: Traditional worshippers rejoice as Makinde declares holiday for Isese Day

    The ex-council chiefs, in a statement at the weekend, noted that a recent resolution by the House of Assembly, linking some of them with alleged act of fraud, was part of a plot to get back at them, with the intention of compelling them to abandon the outstanding judgment debt.

    They added that since March this year when they got an order to garnish the bank accounts of the state government, in an effort to retrieve the outstanding judgment debt, the government and the House of Assembly saw them as a threat and had devised means to witch-hunt them into submission, part of which was the phantom fraud claims.

    In the statement signed by three of the affected ex-council chiefs – Ayodeji Abass Aleshinloye, Bashorun Bosun Ajuwon and Oluyinka Jesutoye – they said none of them was ever invited by the House of Assembly in respect 

    of any investigation, “be it by the 9th or 10th Assembly.”

  • PDP will retain Oyo in 2027, says Makinde

    PDP will retain Oyo in 2027, says Makinde

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will remain in office beyond 2027 in the state.

    He added that the party will also reclaim the presidency and win massively in the next general elections.

    The governor stated this on Monday at the Oyo State PDP State Congress, citing the party’s respect for internal democracy and the amicable conduct of its congresses as a pointer to its strength.

    He spoke while addressing party faithful at the Basket Ball Area of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, venue of the state congress, which was attended by the PDP Ward and local government executives, ad-hoc delegates and stakeholders of the party from the 33 local government areas of the state.

    The governor commended the rancour-free congresses held by the PDP from the Wards to Local Governments and the State levels, noting that the process would ensure the party’s retention of power beyond 2027 in Oyo State.

    He tasked the new state executive members to work hard towards ensuring the victory of the PDP in all elections beginning from local to the national levels.

    He assured party members in the state who were yet to be compensated that they had not been forgotten by the government.

    Makinde said, “I want to congratulate all of us in advance because I believe, in this party, we won’t all labour in vain. We will all reap the fruits of our labour in this government.

    “Let me assure us once again that those who are yet to get something from this government will be reached soon.

    “This exercise is to ensure that the PDP continues to remain in power in Oyo State beyond 2027. So, the executives that will emerge from this exercise; your mandate is clear — deliver PDP from the Presidential to the Councillorship position in 2027.”

    At the congress, Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro was re-elected as the chairman of the PDP in Oyo State, while Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke has been elected Deputy State Chairman, with Oyelami Oyeyemi, Olawumi Elizabeth Toyin and Bello Kazeem Olalekan elected PDP State Secretary, Women Leader and Youth Leader respectively.

    At the Congress, 4, 050 delegates were accredited, total votes cast was 4,031, 74 valid votes and 19 absentees.

    The State Chairman won by 3,957, Deputy state chairman won by 3,957 votes, the state secretary won by 3,957 votes as well as all other winners.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Oyo State PDP Congress Electoral Panel, Senator Austin Akobundu, commended Governor Makinde, party leaders and stakeholders for their commitment and efforts towards fostering unity in the PDP, stressing that the congress was of great significance to the party.

    He added that the PDP in Oyo State, under the leadership of Governor Makinde, has been one of the strong chapters of the party, recording unprecedented growth and transformation through the governor’s political goodwill.

    Akobundu, who urged members of the party to remain orderly, assured that the PDP would return all its candidates in the 2027 general election.

    He said: “We thank God for the safe arrival of all delegates. They are here in their numbers. Today’s event has great significance for our party because Oyo State PDP has been one of the strongest chapters of our party in the country.

    “Under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, this party has grown from strength to strength. The testimonial is the recent bye-election into the House of Representatives, which the PDP won.

    “I want to thank the governor for the strong leadership that he has provided and for the growth we have witnessed.

    “Today, we expect nothing different from what we have done before. Most congresses here have been very seamless, and I can see that the event is well-organised today. This is a reflection of the acceptance of the PDP.”

    In their separate goodwill messages, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State and PDP National Deputy Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and Senator Gbenga Babalola, described the peaceful conduct of the state congress as a demonstration of the PDP’s commitment to internal democracy.

    They commended Governor Makinde for stabilising the party and prayed for a more united PDP in Oyo State and Nigeria.

    Giving his acceptance speech shortly after he was declared elected, the State Chairman, Hon Ogungbenro thanked Governor Makinde and all the leaders of the party for their support and commitment, assuring that the party would work hard to deliver its candidates for the 2027 general election.

    Also in his brief remarks, former Governor of Jigawa State and one of the founding fathers of PDP, Alhaji Sule Lamido, congratulated the 39 newly-elected state executive members, charging them to continue to work for the progress and development of the party.

    The exercise was monitored by a team from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The congress had in attendance the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr Hamid Gbadamosi; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adebo Ogundoyin; serving and former National Assembly members; State House of Assembly members; leaders and delegates of the party from the 33 local government areas in the state and local government chairmen, among others.

  • Makinde to open six model schools

    To commemorate his first 100 days in office, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde will inaugurate six model schools executed under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) intervention projects across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    Also, the governor has promised speedy completion of all ongoing UBEC-FG/SUBEB projects in the state before the year ends, assuring that pupils across the state would begin to enjoy a better lease in their basic educational pursuits.

    Making the disclosures, Oyo SUBEB Chairman, Dr Nureni Adeniran, said the move was part of the government’s efforts to provide quality education to indigent pupils in the state.

    “The board has ensured that the contractors complete at least six of the ongoing projects, which are ready for commissioning by His Excellency,” he said.

    The model schools, equipped with modern facilities are located in Ibadan, Oyo and Oke-Ogun region of the state.

    The facilities in the schools include classrooms, sickbays, science laboratories, computer rooms, libraries and halls.

    Adeniran attributed the fast pace of completion of the previously abandoned school projects within 100 days of Makinde’s administration to the governor’s commitment to the development of education in the state.

    “I can assure you that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration would ensure that education is not only made free for pupils across this state, but would make the schools worth attending for the pupils. Our pro-activeness brought about this finished works. We ensured these projects are completed by the contractors on site”, he said.

    The schools to be inaugurated include, Elekuro Junior High School, Elekuro (Ona-Ara Local Government), St. Mathias Primary school, Orogun, (Akinyele Local Government Area), Community Primary School, Idi-osan (Ibadan North West Local Government Area), Baptist Primary school, Isokun (Oyo-East Local Government Area), Muslim Community Junior High School, Igbeti (Olorunsogo Local Government Area) and Ofiki Grammar School Ofiki, (Atisbo Local Government Area).

     

  • Makinde urges men of integrity to join politics

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has urged men and women of integrity to participate in politics to sanitise the system.

    The governor said the involvement of people of integrity in politics would enhance good governance.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Taiwo Adisa, said the governor gave the charge at The Cathedral Church of St David, Ijomu Street, Akure, during a thanksgiving service organised by members of the Omorege dynasty, his maternal family, to celebrate his electoral victory.

    According to the statement, Makinde admonished Christians and people of honesty and integrity to get involved in politics. He said the journey would not be easy, but God would take them to where He intended.

    Makinde said: “When I started the journey into politics, the two mother’s close to me [referring to his mum and his aunt] woke me up at 12 a.m., one spoke in Ibadan dialect while the other spoke in Akure dialect and all they said was that I should be wary of what I collect from politicians. Ordinarily, they knew the son they had but at that point, they doubted me, because the general perception was that politics is dirty.

    “The general perception is that a child of God cannot be in politics. My mothers doubted me, and so if people who are not close to me doubt me, I will understand. What matters is to serve the people honestly and serve God through service to humanity.”

    The governor added: “Today, I have the testimony of being a politician that attained the governorship without a godfather apart from God the Father. I am telling you that participating in politics cannot stop our going to heaven. We need to participate. Things may not be easy, but God will take you to the top. It was not easy for Joseph but God made him prime minister in Egypt, the most powerful country on earth at that time. Even David that was anointed, it was not easy for him.

    “I have come to thank God, because I came to this church and I said that if God does what I want, I would come to give thanks. I thank the church and the people for your help. I thank the clergy for their prayers. Continue to pray for us, because what is ahead is more than where we are coming from.”

    A priest, Venerable C.O. Osinyemi, who spoke on the topic: “Indices of acceptable service,” charged Makinde to add value to the lives of the people.

    The clergyman admonished the governor to focus on developing the nooks and cranny of the state, empowering the youth and women, and defending the rights of those who are weak. He urged him to revive the farm settlements built by Pa Obafemi Awolowo, because according to him, there is no way government can employ everyone but that a lot of people could be reached through agriculture.

    Osinyemi charged the governor to pay attention to payment of salaries and pensions.

    The governor was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin some members of the House of Assembly; Chairman of the State Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Funmi Orisadeyi; Commissioner for Environment Kehinde Ayoola; Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Nureni Adeniran; Chairman of BCOS Prince Dotun Oyelade and other party chieftains.

  • Makinde: Working to build an enduring legacy

    In understanding the innate meaning of government and the art of governance, it can be perceived to mean the act of administering a given set of people or resources and ensuring effective and efficient distribution of social amenities for the general good of all.

    The government decides on what to do to better the lot of the largest sum at any point in time.

    The government, therefore, must be able to both think and act well so as to be able to address the genuine needs of the people it governs, and not just a perceived one. This is judicious use of government discretion.

    By evaluating the structural foundation of the Engr. Seyi Makinde administration in Oyo State, and with all what one has seen so far, it would not be out of place for any sincere pundit to be able to predict the erection of a sound and an enduring governmental structure in the state.

    And, on the above premise, it is high time that bitter and partisan politicking was given the boot not only in Oyo State but the whole of Nigeria altogether.

    For us not to just be counting mere calendar age for Nigeria as a country with nothing to show for it progress-wise, we should endeavour, for our general good, to ditch party politicking in Nigeria and go instead for ‘personality politicking’.

    As it were in the Nigeria of today, and per our Constitution, any ill-advised electoral decision would cause the citizenry to pine away for four good years at the least.

    Therefore, Nigerians generally and the good people of Oyo State particularly should learn to shine their eyes always in attempting to elect their leaders.

    Enter Governor Seyi Makinde

    On assumption of office, Makinde left no one in doubt of his resolve in taking the state to the next level of development. He is unarguably the best candidate, going by evaluations from sundry socio-political pedestals, in the last gubernatorial election in Oyo State. He is undoubtedly a gentleman, cool-headed, firm in a dignifying way; one who loves and fears God, and also a staunch believer in the right of all Oyo people to live well.

    Barely two months ago, the whole of Oyo State went agog with the cheering news that the present administration of Engineer Seyi Makinde has abolished payment for the Common Entrance School Examination, and has even gone further to direct that such fees as having already been taken from pupils be refunded to them forthwith.  The only time any such thing happened in the history of Nigeria was 40years ago.  In fact, upon election as the first Executive Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, issued what can best be described as a premature Executive Order.  This was sometime in September of 1979 after he had been elected. He ordered that parents of students and pupils resuming that month should not pay school fees.  But the then military administrator od Lagos, Commodore Ebitur Ikiwe, fired back, insisting that the parents should pay and that once Jakande was sworn-in on October 1, 1979, he can begin to issue Executive Orders.  And upon being sworn-in on Monday, October , 1979, Jakande ordered that the fees must be refunded to parents.  I know this to be true because my parents benefitted from that refund.  Jakande made that possible and went on to become the best ever state governor in Nigeria – not minding the pretensions by some today whose brand of politics is hinged on hero-worship, which in itself is a function of corrupt enrichment.  Shall we then safely say Governor Makinde, starting on this progressive note, is set to liberate the good people of Oyo State from years of inferior governance?  Yes, we can.

    For, this is an administration that is yet to clock 100 days in power but has shown signs of greater things to happen. This is well-advised government discretion, as it goes a long way in touching the very souls of many indigent Oyo State parents. Verily, no Civil Engineer that is worth his salt needs to wait for a building to be fully erected before he would be able to determine its structural endurance; he is able to determine this by just evaluating the foundation thereof.

    As we all know in elementary political science that peace and security are indeed sine qua non of every government, Governor Makinde promised to turn around the security architecture of the state in order to bring in foreign investors, just as he said his administration has four main pillars with Agric value chain as a key aspect to promote foreign investment.

    For us in Oyo State, the last two months have been spent mainly rebuilding institutions that had been turned into total ruins, and providing lasting foundation. The governor has also embarked on providing the infrastructure that will guarantee that the state is governed as a modern state.

    Also, he has initiated the process of reaching out to international development partners to bring them in for the development of the state. Everywhere he had been in the last two months, the story had been the same – forward-looking agenda.

    As part of the efforts of government to provide a lasting superstructure for governance in the state, the Makinde government, last week, set up the contract review committee, to review projects and contracts awarded by the immediate-past administration. Even babes and suckling were aware of the arrant disregard for probity and accountability that reigned in the state in the last eight years and indeed the massive fraud that percolated government.

    When the committee submits its report in the next few weeks, government would have found a way out of impunity that characterized the last eight years and for posterity. As intangible as this may appear, it will conform to the words of Marcus Garvey that a people without the knowledge of their past are like a tree without a root.

    In the government’s bid to bring succour to our senior citizens in the state, government has committed about N280 million as payment of gratuities to 100 retired civil servants for 2012 on grade level 1 – 17 in the state. It is an underscore of government’s care for retirees.

    In the area of labour relations, Governor Makinde has succeeded in reversing the trend where workers in the state were the least paid in the whole of South West. As intangible as it may sound, unlike the practice in the past, workers in the state now collect their salary on 25th of every month, a feat which has been resoundingly applauded by all civil servants in the state.  For a state governor who openly declared his asset and his worth, it is reassuring that here is a state governor who  wants workers to get paid for job done.

    The vision of this government, however, extends beyond the above. It is believed that what matters most to him is the superstructure of governance that is, in the last two months, being put in place. Never will the state of our infrastructure be as deplorable as we had them in the last eight years; never will corruption be an insignia of government of the state; never will our infrastructure go moribund; never will the people of Oyo State live inferior lifestyles: these are the assurances Governor Makinde has been giving the people in the last two months.

    Obviously, it is proved that nobody tangoes with God and wins. The good people of Oyo State should endeavour to cooperate vibrantly with the incumbent government for them to experience an enduring betterment in Oyo State this once.

    • Alonge is a teacher based in Ogbomoso

  • Makinde should dialogue with us – ALGON chairman

    Governor Seyi Makinde’s removal of local government chairmen and their council members just two hours after he was sworn in on May 29 obviously put them on a war path with his administration. The action led to court cases and other actions by the House of Assembly. In these separate interviews with the Chairman, Oyo State branch of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr. Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye and the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, both parties give deeper insight on why they are towing their paths and what they aim to achieve. They spoke with Southwest Bureau Chief, Bisi Oladele, and Oyinlola Lasaki. Excerpts

    SINCE May 29, when the new Governor of Oyo State was sworn in, ALGON seems to have been in a running battle with the Oyo State Government. Why is it so?

    It is unfortunate that it has to be so. It is not our making. ALGON Oyo State, of course, should be in good working relationship with the governor of the state, Engineer Seyi Makinde. And that is the hand of fellowship that we extended to him. That is what we did immediately he came in. As chairmen, first and foremost, to welcome him and congratulate him, placing a newspaper advert to welcome him. We went even as far as sending emissaries to book an appointment with him for an official congratulatory visit. Unfortunately and sadly on that day, and very uncommon, the governor in less than two hours that he was sworn-in,  just came out through his Chief of Staff to pronounce democratically elected institutions,  local government councils, dissolved.

    At what time did you make efforts to pay official congratulatory visit to him?

    No, we just sent people to him. I just told you now that on the day he was sworn in…

    Did you attempt to visit him before May 29?

    No, we did not, we only sent a message. Like I told you, it’s in two folds – one is to congratulate him in the newspapers, the other is to pay him a courtesy visit to congratulate him.

    But that could be interpreted to mean in a way that you were trying to curry his favour to retain you in office or try to make sure he works with you.

    Which one would you have preferred?  If we did not go, people will wonder why local government chairmen chose not to congratulate a new governor or pay him courtesy visit or official visit. Now we went, you’re saying it’s probably  that we wanted to curry his favour. Whichever way you look at it, we believed it was important and civil for us to welcome him.

    There’s no way a governor will come without you recognising him. Whether you want to work together or not, he is your boss and you must give him that recognition and that is what we were doing. It’s not for us, for anybody. Of course, if we had been on the caretaker platform, he has every right to say I am not working with you but even that caretaker platform during the time of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, he met some people who had three months tenure or so, and he came when their tenure remained about one month to end. He didn’t do anything until when they finished that one month. Those were caretaker chairmen. Even as a caretaker, it is the House of Assembly that will give them that tenure of three months and wait till when it’s three months. But in this arrangement, we were democratically elected.

    But the claim of the state government is that your election was illegal because there were issues and there was another court case that couldn’t have allowed the election to take place?

    Yes, that was their episode one of the whole drama because we are at about the fifth episode now. That was the first reason they gave. And thank God that we have been following events; we keep documents, things are being documented not even in this age of digital technology where people even if you press your phone, you google it, you will be able to see. You will be able to get that judgment. The judgement he is talking about, that particular judgement was vacated. That injunction that they were talking about… We had election on May 12 and the judgment was vacated on May 10. So they saw that judgement, this is the thing they’ve been hammering upon; it’s illegal, it’s this, it’s that. Even so, we have three tiers of government. We have the executive, legislature and judiciary. It is not for the executive to interpret what the law says. The court has said no executive, whether his agent, House of Assembly, or any executive arm has any right to dissolve, remove or do anything to democratically elected chairmen of local governments and their councilors. So even if they believe so, this is a civil society and a democracy. The normal thing is to approach the court based on the fact they have and give all their reasons and allow the judiciary do the needful. They did not do that. There’s a subsisting judgment, they did not obey that.

    You said the governor caused it. How do you think he can end it?

    Good. Even in war period, there’s always a roundtable to jaw-jaw.  It’s not impossible to put all these to an end. It’s not impossible at all.

    Are you saying it is in his hands to do so?

    It is; it is! He’s our governor, there’s no pretense about that.

    But the House of Assembly has just approved the proposal to appoint caretaker chairmen?

    Noooo! That is illegality upon illegality.  Go and read that judgement. The House of Assembly, the executive – all of them were restrained in the judgment. You see, we will always come back to square one. This is what he has wanted to do from the very first day he got to office. See where we are today. Until you go back to the basics, you can’t just do illegality and think you can go scot-free. If it had been in the past, one could do that. You remember how Obasanjo as the Head of State or President of Nigeria removed Alemeighseia against court judgement;  how he removed Dariye against court injunction; how he helped in removing Senator Ladoja; how Fayose escaped from Ekiti? But that is the kind of government that we were running then. Things have changed. Don’t forget, this is the time of Buhari. See how the poor man, the President of Nigeria’s governing party, won all the elections in Zamfara and the elections were canceled and all the posts given to PDP that never even won the election by court judgement? The man never interfered in that judgement. You can’t even do half of that with Obasanjo. We know what we are talking about. So, if things are changing for better, if we’re having this in Nigerian democracy, we can’t have this kind of situation. Come on, why will you now come back to a state like Oyo for that matter like a military man and say all the local governments are dissolved? There’s need to do a kind of reflection on how these people got to their position. How did they even get there? Whether you say Kangaroo judgment, Kangaroo election, arrangee… Whatever form you think, the appellation they bear is executive chairmen, they are not caretaker chairmen. So, thinking of that alone, whatever reason you have, you cannot be a judge in your own case. You cannot just say because of my position, I can do and undo.

    How long are you willing to go at the level of ALGON on this issue?

    Oh, as long as the legal actions can take us. We are on with it; we are doing all the needful and we will continue to respect the court judgment. And I’m telling you this; nobody is interested in being in office by force. If today, we have a judgment that says you were not democratically elected or the election was faulty, or you can’t be there, or vacate that office… Oh my God, I’m assuring you, I will lead by example, and I’m assuring you that no chairman will stay any longer. But this is a court that has given judgment that you are not respecting. Now you are going back to that court. You said you will not go back to appeal; now they have gone to appeal and we are waiting for them there. So for us, we will always abide by the rule of law, whatever comes out of court, that’s where we stay. If they have lawyers, they need to interpret to them what that judgment says. And again this has brought me to so many other things that happened afterwards.

    Like what?

    A lot of things; I mean I refuse to be intimidated in any form.

    Is anybody intimidating you?

    Serious one, serious one!

    Who and who are intimidating you?

    A lot of them; agents of PDP, supporters of Governor Seyi Makinde; a lot of them, they came to attack me in the office, at home. Later, they came around my area with motorbike (Okada), several threats to my life. I reported to DSS. I have been to the Commissioner of Police twice to report this and it’s yet to abate.

    Yet to abate?

    Yes. But I refuse to be intimidated in any form. And I know it’s only God that protects. I have spoken with the Commissioner of Police for protection. He agreed with me and he promised to do something even though I’m yet to see anything till now. It’s a very serious problem. They have been coming to my house, coming to threaten, and I have a family. And what we are doing, you can bear me witness, the people of Oyo State can bear me witness that I’ve never engaged in violence and I’ve been preaching against violence. I’ve even told our people not to fight anybody. We don’t believe in violence here; we believe in intellectual fight, we believe in legal fight.

    As the ALGON chairman, what would you tell Governor Makinde if you met him today?

    Yes, I would advise him. You know there is a way that the office affects people. I hope he won’t be affected negatively by the office. I would tell him the plain truth. It’s not about me being the local government chairman for God sake. No! But there are ways you can do things because he is of our generation. If you want to cheat people or you want to do something to them, there are ways. You can’t just call people and tell them they are idiots, this and that… My own fundamental human rights should be respected and I need to protect it and that’s what I’m doing under the law.

    I would tell him first and foremost that he should respect the court judgment. Then, I would tell him to sit down and see us as partners in progress. I followed his campaign. He said he’s going to be governor for all the citizens of Oyo State. Even if you have things; you have your own people that you want to be there, you still have two years after our tenure to do all that. Even if you want before then, next time he should not employ that kind of tactics. It’s not too good, it’s as if you are saying these people, they are animals; they do not exist, I can do anything to them. They stand dissolved. He should not use his power the way he sees the power. So, he should have a meeting with all of us; let us discuss. We are all from Oyo State. He’s our governor and we are not from heaven; we are not from another state. We are all citizens of Oyo State. So why can’t you have a discussion with us.

  • Makinde’s six controversial actions

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has hit the ground running, following his swearing-in on May 29. Southwest Bureau Chief Bisi oladele examines the steps taken by the governor which have stirred controversy.

    We looks quiet. Talking is not known to be a part of Seyi Makinde’s nature. He had been known for acting more than talking. He is not an activist. Soft-spoken, unassuming and free with all, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde enjoyss a lot of goodwill. Makinde has courted many controversies within and outside the state for his actions and utterances, majority of which his followers and admirers, however, consider positive.

    Two hours after he was sworn in as governor on May 29, directed his newly appointed Chief of Staff (CoS) Chief Bisi Ilaka, to announce the sack of 33 elected local government councils. The action jolted the affected officials and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced them on May 12, last year. In a swift reaction, the officials, under the aegis of the Oyo State branch of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), rejected the sack, describing it as a violation of a high court judgment given on May 6. The APC also faulted the action. But, Makinde insisted that their election was improper in the first place.

    To drive home its position, ALGON wrote to banks and heads of local governments against processing payments by the councils without obtaining clearance from them, warning that it would amount to contempt of court. That did not change anything.

    Consequently, the association sued Makinde for allegedly violating the May 6 judgment.

    While the contempt case was to be heard, the state government filed an appeal against the judgment. Both cases are being heard.

    While fielding questions from reporters on the occasion of his first month in office, Makinde, in a live television programme, stated that his administration inherited a N150b debt profile. He pointed out that some of the debts were not well utilised for the benefit of the people. The governor added that his administration was still working harder to identify other debts to determine the actual debt profile. The governor’s revelation conveyed the idea that his immediate predecessor was wasteful and possibly corrupt. In fact, he threatened to expose former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, if he did not stay clear of his administration. Makinde said if he did, Ajimobi would be stoned by the people of Oyo State.

    But, the APC dared him to make good his threat. The party accused him of chasing shadows instead of concentrating on the serious work of governance for which he has been voted.

    Ajimobi’s aides have denied Makinde’s claims on the debt profile. They gave details of the actual debts as N90 billion. Yet, Makinde’s administration just got the House of Assembly’s nod to borrow N10 billion from three banks – less than two months into his four-year tenure. The aides also advised him to beware of overzealous supporters who may mislead him in their ambition to discredit Ajimobi at all costs.

    Read Also: Oyo APC tackles Makinde over N10 billion infrastructure loan

    During in the media interaction, Makinde also restated that some of Ajimobi’s aides went away with government vehicles, instead of handing them over after serving the state. He promised to recover the vehicles because they belong to the state, not individuals.

    But the APC dared him to name those who stole government vehicles. They also accused him of displaying crass inexperience in public service, stressing that he should take his time to understand how things work.

    A fortnight  ago, the state government dissolved the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC). In dissolving the commission’s board, the governor assured members of the board that the government would pay their salaries for the remaining years in office since their tenure is statutory.

    Makinde’s action also stirred a controversy over the propriety of his choice to pay off those still serving while complaining that the state was in deep debt. The APC wondered how a sitting governor could make such public pronouncement which it regarded as insensitive and demeaning to those he sacked. The party argued that the  governor has shown that he perceived service as a ‘come and eat’ call, rather than a genuine interest in adding value to the state.

    Perhaps, the most controversial actions is his asset declaration which he made public last week. With his companies worth N48 billion and other highly priced properties and cash, Makinde caused a storm on Twitter and other social media. He was later adjudged the richest governor in Africa, going by his  assets. The huge controversy was on whether the governor is truly worth the humongous amount or that he quoted the figures in anticipation of what his worth will be after spending four years in office. The controversy was so hot that the Director of the Code of Conduct Bureau in Oyo State, Mr Moses Atolagbe, had to make a public statement that the bureau was waiting for directive from the agency’s head office to verify Makinde’s claims.

    Some people believe that Makinde became controversial due to the excitement of acquiring power. The power of a governor is massive in Nigeria. Hence, some believe that the excitement of attaining the plum position after three failed attempts was strong enough to make him take some actions that will be controversial.

    But, the APC said that Makinde and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wanted to drag Ajimobi’s name in the mud due to the former governor’s landmark achievements in his eight-year tenure. The party in a statement by its Publicity Secretary Azeez Olatunde, said Makinde’s efforts to discredit Ajimobi and his administration would fail because the former governor succeeded in etching his name in gold while he held the ace. It advised him to drop the ambition to taint the APC and concentrate on how he can build on the foundation laid by Ajimobi.

    Makinde could also be courting controversy by the reason of his zeal to serve with absolute credibility. Judging by some of his actions, the new governor is demonstrating sincerity of purpose. For instance, he has sent a bill to the House of Assembly to establish an anti-corruption agency. He also cancelled the N1,000 per term fees paid by public secondary schools pupils because some parents could not afford it. He argued that education should be totally free. But the APC said it will watch how the cancellation will not affect the efforts at rebuilding the schools. The fee was being administered by the governing Board of each school, which is made up of the principal, representatives of students, parents, the community and old students association.

    Another factor that may have thrown Makinde into regular controversy is inexperience in public sector. The governor was a player in the private sector before becoming governor. The APC believes that his inexperience is a major source of his controversial decisions. They believe that he will court less controversies after spending six months in office as he would have become more familiar with the governance system.

    Though Makinde had been known in Oyo State as a wealthy man, his public asset declaration revealed his hitherto hidden wealth thereby causing a controversy. Before he became governor, hardly could anyone argue that the oil magnate is that rich. The public declaration of the assets left many in shock, thereby triggering controversial comments.

    As he steers the ship of Oyo State, it is expected that the governor’s true person will be fully established as he manages people and other resources for the next four years.

  • I woudn’t be distracted, says Makinde

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said that critics of his style of governance cannot distract his government from recording giant strides in the state.

    The governor spoke at the inauguration of the Southwest Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the United Kingdom.

    He said he knew why the searchlight has beamed on his person and his administration.

    A statement by his media aide, Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as charging PDP Stakeholders to project the good deeds of the party’s office holders in order not to give room for negative narrative.

    Makinde, who observed that interest groups in the United Kingdom had played important roles in the politics of Nigeria, said that no fewer than 200,000 Nigerians now live in the United Kingdom.

    He said that the task ahead of the PDP is to regroup and launch chapters everywhere Nigerians are found.

    Makinde said:” I am aware of the enormity of the responsibility that rests on me. The searchlight is beamed upon me, and all my actions are being met with the strictest scrutiny.”

    He added:  “I know that it is the seeming controversial that will be given more attention. My open declaration of my assets is generating furore in certain quarters, but these are unnecessary distractions, my focus and the focus of our administration is on good governance. We shall not be distracted.”

    Makinde invited investors to Oyo state, declaring that his efforts so far have been geared towards eradicating the out-of-school children syndrome, which he said, accounts for 400,000 right now, expansion of the state’s economy and promoting security.

    He said: “In the past month, I have focused on two things to set Oyo State on the path to greatness: Ensuring that we put the right policies and processes in place, and working with ideas that will help increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state.”

    Makinde said his focus on security was borne out of the fact that without security, businesses cannot thrive adding that he had given his commitment to enhancing security to the Commanders of the Task Force in charge of Oyo and Osun, Operation Burst.

    According to the governor, the decision by the state government to cancel the N3, 000 school levy, and examination fees had resulted in the unprecedented huge turnout of students for placement examination into JSS1, and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted in the state last week.

    Makinde also said that the commitment of the PDP towards strategizing for the future was not in doubt adding that members of the party must also be alive to their responsibilities.

  • Makinde bans collection of illegal fees in primary, secondary schools

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has placed a ban on illegal fee collections in all state owned primary and secondary schools.

    The directive was contained in a circular released by the Head of Service, Mrs. Amidat Agboola. It directed Permanent Secretaries and heads of Education related agencies to ensure strict compliance of the governor’s order.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa  noted that the governor, while giving his inaugural speech on May 29th, 2019, directed that all forms of payment in public schools, primary and secondary, should cease with immediate effect.

    Read Also: Assembly backs Makinde on sack of Oyo council chairmen

    The statement reads: “Therefore, collection of fees/levies in all public primary and secondary schools, including Technical Colleges across the state is hereby prohibited.

    “I am to emphasise that collection of fees under any guise in public schools across the state remains illegal and any violator of this directive will be treated as a saboteur; heavy sanction awaits violators of this directive.”