By David Oluokun
One of the greatest frauds in the political history of Oyo State is the so-called “Omituntun” administration of Governor Seyi Makinde. For seven years, Makinde has run Oyo State like his private business, with no transparency, no accountability, and no respect for democratic institutions.
The worst casualty of his misrule is the local government administration.
MAKINDE KILLED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN OYO
Since 2019 when he came to power, Governor Makinde has not conducted a single credible local government election. What he did was to handpick his cronies, his errand boys, and impose them as Caretaker Chairmen, then later called them “elected chairmen” after a sham election where PDP declared itself winner in all 33 local governments.
Local government is the closest government to the people.
But Under Makinde:
1. No local government chairman in Oyo State can award a contract of N10 million on his own. Everything is controlled from Agodi Government House.
2. Local government allocations running into hundreds of billions have been cornered by the state government through the illegal Joint Account. That is why there is no single tarred road constructed by any local government in Oyo in the last 7 years.
3. Primary Healthcare Centres are in ruins. Primary schools have no chairs. Local markets are abandoned.
4. Workers at the local government are owed deductions and have been turned to beggars.
This is the man who wants to reset Nigeria?
A MAN WHO FAILED IN OYO WANTS TO FIX NIGERIA:
It is laughable and insulting that the same Seyi Makinde who could not manage 33 local governments for 7 years is now touring Abuja, Lagos and London, telling Nigerians he wants to reset Nigeria in four years.
What does he want to reset?
Is it the same way he “reset” Oyo State by increasing our domestic debt from N99 billion in 2019 to over N300 billion in 2026 despite huge allocation at his disposal, with nothing to show for it except audio projects and billboards?
Is it the same way he “reset” LAUTECH by taking over the institution but failing to make it one of the best, while students still pay exorbitant fees?
Is it the same way he “reset” Oke-Ogun roads, that till today, the Iseyin-Okeho-Iganna road, the Saki-Ogbooro road, and the Oyo-Iseyin road remain death traps?
HYPOCRISY AND DECEIT TAKEN TOO FAR:
Governor Makinde’s presidential ambition is not about Nigeria; it is about escaping accountability. He knows that by May 2027, Oyo people will ask him to give account of over N1 trillion that came to Oyo State in 7 years.
Instead of giving account, he wants to run to Aso Rock.
Nigerians are wiser. You cannot be a failure at home and be a success outside. If you cannot run a local government system, you cannot run a federation of 774 local governments.
Charity, they say, begins at home. Makinde failed at home.
Oyo State was better organized under late Governor Ajimobi, who respected local government autonomy and conducted two local government elections. Makinde destroyed that legacy.
The truth is bitter:
Seyi Makinde is the worst thing that has happened to local government administration in Oyo State since 1999. He localized dictatorship, institutionalized caretaker system, and centralized poverty.
For such a man to now stand on any podium and say he wants to reset Nigeria in four years is not just hypocrisy, it is deceit taken too far.
Nigeria does not need a man who kills local governments. Nigeria needs a man who will strengthen them.
Oyo people have rejected Makinde and his stooge running under APM . Nigerians will also reject him.
