As the nation heads to the poll on Saturday, 18th March, 2023, among the states that people are interested in the outcome of the poll is my darling pacesetter state, Oyo State. There is no doubt that the race has been narrowed down to a two-horse race; where the incumbent, Governor Seyi Makinde, will be slugging it out with a former Senate Leader and third term Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin.
I have seen arguments on reasons that Gov. Seyi Makinde should be returned for another four years. While the writers are entitled to their opinions, I think it is important that we see reasons why people of Oyo state should not reward Seyi’s ineptitude with another four years.
To start with, no doubt that there is no semblance of development at the local government level in the state. While it may be excused that virtually all the states of the federation do not allow the third tier of government to grow, this administration has taken it to another level, Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that he would not be signing local government autonomy bill into law if he is in power. Should we allow the local government administration to die, because an emperor thinks the local government should not thrive?
While Governor Seyi Makinde was contesting in 2019, he uses most of his time to condemn the then administration for obtaining loans, while deliberately ignoring the importance of such loans.
Today, the state loan according to verifiable reports stand at N400 billion; which indicates that this administration has added over N250 billion to what was met in 2019? Do we have physical infrastructures to justify such humongous debt? What significant changes have occurred that warranted spending about N20 billion on motor parks in the state? What is the status of Agbowo Shopping Complex at the moment? What is the Governor’s interest in the sales of the state properties?
Going through Governor Seyi Makinde’s Roadmap to Accelerated Development, his supposed social contract with the people of the state in 2019, it is crystal clear that this administration has failed in the basics and should not be rewarded with an extra day at Agodi government house, not to talk of additional years. Where is the maize that GSM promised us that will be imported to Botswana? What is the status of Ikere Gorge Dam? What is the state of education, especially the basic ones since 2019 that this administration began? How secure is the lives and properties of the citizenry when compared to pre-2019 in the state? What has been this administration intervention in the agricultural sector? Has the state fair better in her health system? The same man that condemned the use of private revenue consultants to generate funds for the state now thrives on the path he condemned.
Few weeks ago, some Civil Servants (TESCOM) confirmed that they are being owed “earned allowances” for more than a year, yet this administration USP remains “Prompt Payment of Salary’. Isn’t it ironical that a government that sells itself to the public as paying salary promptly allegedly owes LAUTECH lecturers salary arrears and allowances of about N12 billion!
Saturday, 18th March, 2023 would be historical in our dear state, and the people of the state should rise in unison and send Governor Seyi Makinde back to “Ilesha”, where he truly belongs.
