Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom says the All Progressives Congress led federal government lacks the capacity to deliver good governance to the people of Nigeria.
He stated this on Thursday while commissioning the 65km Moniya-Ijaye-Iseyin road.
Ortom said any government that fails to protect the lives and property of her citizens cannot achieve any meaningful development.
His words: “I am happy to be here today to meet the good people of Oyo State. I do not take this for granted. We are 36 governors, and for you to have invited me to commission this dear project, I appreciate you.
“I appreciate the governor and the people of Oyo state for the warm reception and hospitality we received since our arrival and pray that God will continue to bless Oyo State, Benue State and Nigeria.
“I am not surprised that Oyo and, indeed the Yoruba nation, have always stood and always been the voice of the oppressed in this country right from inception and that is what I stand for. I speak for justice, equity and fairness. For those who feel like Samuel Ortom is talking too much, I want to appeal to them to give our people justice; give our people fairness and ensure equity. I promise you that I will never say anything again.
“So, I commend the governor. I am not surprised that our forefathers formed an alliance with the South West during the UMBC and the Action Congress. I appreciate this friendship and say that we remain committed to the unity of our country, Nigeria, and that is why my brother invited me here.
“The PDP is working despite all the economic and security challenges. The PDP has demonstrated leadership and that is why we are commissioning this road today, which is amazing.
“I want to challenge the APC in this country because they have failed. Economically-wise, security-wise, they have failed. Socially and politically, the APC government is in deficit. Government is all about providing security for lives and property. Government is about providing infrastructure like the one we are doing here today. Today, I am here in Oyo State. My brother, governor Makinde was in Adamawa State, a PDP-controlled government to commission project and lay a foundation. Go to Rivers State, what you see every day is laying of the foundation of commissioning of projects. Go to Bauchi State, Sokoto State and other PDP-controlled states, you will see development. That is what leadership is, and that is what the people of Nigeria are yearning for.
“I commend my brother, within the space of two years, we are here to commission amongst others, a 65km of road duly asphalted with a guarantee of 20 years. I congratulate you my brother and I believe and trust in the person of Engineer Seyi Makinde, whom I know will do more for the people of Oyo State.
“I commend Oyo People for giving him the backing; for supporting him. As we were coming from the Government House down to this place, the members of the public generally were waiving in applause to our governor. Don’t ever contemplate leaving your people. Work with them, do what they want, share their pains, and also help them to give them leadership that will lead them out of their pains.
“I want to appreciate all of you and to say that our prayers are with you.
“Let me, once again, call on the APC Federal Government to rise up and give leadership because our people are in pain. From North-East, North-West to North-Central to South-South, South-East and South-West, everyone is faced with security challenges and without security, there can be no meaningful development except in PDP-controlled state.
“I have also invited a number of my colleagues and will invite my brother too to commission project in my own state because we are performing despite all odds. So, let us all not lose faith in the project Nigeria. We have no other country other than Nigeria. Let us work together to surmount this challenge that we have today.
“In 2015, the mantle of leadership was given to APC. But from all indication, it is clear to every Nigerian that APC does not have the capacity to deliver. Go and check, economically, how much was one dollar when APC came into government in 2015. What was the nature of our security in this country when APC took over power? What was our social relationship in this country? Politically too, where are we? But let us work hard and by praying. As we pray, whether Muslims or Christians, let us also apply work because faith without work is dead.
“So, let us work very hard so that come 2023, by the grace of God, we shall change the change.”
In his remarks, the host Governor, Seyi Makinde says the road will play a major role in engineering a modern Oyo State.
Makinde maintained that his administration’s vision is to take the people of the state away from poverty to prosperity.
He said:
He said: “We are here today to commission one of the projects which will play a major role in our engineering a modern Oyo State – an Oyo State where the prosperity of the people through economic integration serves as the fulcrum of our decisions.
“But first, let me once more, appreciate my brother Governor, Samuel Ortom of Benue State for travelling down to be with us on this happy occasion. I want to use this opportunity to convey the deepest sympathies of myself, my family and good people of Oyo State to you over the death of your Senior Special Assistant on Security, Christopher Dega. May God grant you and his friends and family the strength to bear the loss.
“I am sure I speak for myself, the people of Iseyin in particular and the good people of Oyo State when I say, we are delighted that you could be here today at the commissioning of the 65km Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road.
“This road remained in a deplorable state for several years. I remember that immediately after I became governor, I began to receive SOS messages regarding this road. I remember this particular request on social media from someone who said some parents have had to withdraw their children from school because of their inability to navigate this road to get to school.”
“The state of this road also kept people away from going from Moniya to Iseyin. On a good day, they would spend three hours out here. You can then imagine what it would be like on a bad day when perhaps a truck has broken down at one of the terrible spots.
“Although a contract for rehabilitation of this road was awarded by the previous administration, our initial inspection visits in 2019 revealed that the contractors had not even done 5% of the work here before abandoning it. We therefore had to revoke and re-award the contract.
“I always say that whatever decisions we make at any point in this administration will be based on science, data and logic. So, we factored in that we wanted this road to be top grade and last at least 10 years before any rehabilitations. For this reason, we decided to increase the stubbing course from about 150mm to about 200mm, and we also changed the asphaltic wearing course from 40mm to 50mm.
“Looking at the initial design, we also realized that there was inadequate provision for drainage. So, we had to remedy that too.
“More importantly, the original contract was for what they called, “limited rehabilitation.” This is just a fancy way of saying they would patch the road. They would look at those areas that they felt were bad and do some rehabilitation works.
“For us, this was flawed logic. We knew this would only amount to kicking the ball forward. In a year or so, we would be back to doing major rehabilitations.
“So, with all the available data, we decided that the more logical thing to do would be to increase the contract sum by about 2.9 billion Naira and deliver the quality of road that our people deserved.
“What we have done here is the total reconstruction of this 65km road at 9.9 billion Naira and this translates to 152 billion Naira per kiliometre.
“So again, based on science, data and logic we made the best decision overall.
Of course, we understood the economic significance of this road not only to individual residents but also to the growth of commerce and industry.
“The Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road is the link between Ibadan and Oke-Ogun, Oyo State’s food basket. This road also hosts the once moribund Pacesetter Quarry and Asphalt Plant; not only have we resuscitated the plant, but it is already producing asphalt that we use in the building of our roads here in Oyo State. As we drive down this road, I am sure you will see the economic impact it has with the springing up of farm estates on both sides of the road.
“So, as we commission this road, let me again remind our people that we promised you economic development and prosperity through our Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State, 2019-2023. This is just another way that we are delivering on good governance. This is another promise kept.”
Earlier, the Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Dahud Sangodoyin said the successful completion of road has opened up the critical agriculture zone of the state for integration purpose.
He said: “I am delighted to welcome you to the commissioning of our 65km Moniya road to Iseyin, which falls under Akinyele LG and Iseyin LG areas of the state. The construction of the road was awarded to Messrs KOPEK Nig. Ltd and the duration of the contract was about 12 months excluding the COVID-19 lockdown period.
“The major features of the road technically include the clearing, the artworks, the construction of rainfall concrete drain, 1 metre square access culvert, construction of cross culvert and other components including the underpass. The pavement is also made up of 200 metres thick laterite stone base, a 200metres stone base, 300m asphaltic concrete, binder course and 400m asphaltic wearing course.
“The overall width length of this road is about 10.3 metres. The successful completion of the road has opened up the critical agriculture zone of the state for integration purpose and transportation of agric produce as well as further development of the local government areas around these axes.
“It will also afford commuters smooth and eventual ride within Ibadan and Oke-Ogun area. The resultant outcome of the foregoing will herald better economic well-being of our people and, consequently, will upgrade the standard of living, ease-of-doing-business and domestic resource flow to our state.”
