The Progressives Front, a group within the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned the bond of N100 billion being proposed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- led administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, describing the proposal as laying the foundation for the perdition of Oyo State.
According to the Nation,the state government had commenced the process of borrowing the sum to finance some capital projects.
But in a statement signed by the duo of Messrs Olugbenga Olayemi and Wale Murphy, State Chairman and Secretary respectively, the group said for the Makinde administration to take such a gargantuan loan which details are opaque is akin to laying the foundation for financial enslavement of the state that unborn generation would continue to suffer, several years after the administration will have been completed.
“When did we come to this sorry pass in Oyo State? We had thought with all his pre- election promises, Gov Makinde had creative ways of generating revenue for the state. It was this same Gov Makinde who said that he would raise the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) adding that within a few months we would be competing with Lagos State in IGR. He was also the one that said we would be exporting maize to Botswana to increase revenue for the State. He also said that within six months, Oyo State, under his watch would no longer go cap in hand to Abuja to beg for federal allocation. Obviously, all these were mere rhetoric to hoodwink our people to submit their mandate, a year and two months after, he is plunging the State into a debt burden,” the statement read in part.
According to the group, the governor needs to do a lot more than he is doing because nothing is on ground to indicate that governance is happening in Oyo State. “If Governor Makinde had condemned the past administration for incurring a debt of about N90 billion in eight years, within his 14 months sojourn, he is about incurring a debt of about N150 billion. What would happen after his tenure? It stands to reason that Oyo State would be in a debt hole it would find difficult to get out of. The government should have a rethink,” the group admonished.
The Progressives Front has also thrown its weight behind the Chief Akin Oke-led APC State Executive Council ((EXCO).
The group advised all those behind calls for the vote of no confidence on the EXCO to desist from the exercise which is capable of further causing disunity in the party.
It said: “Our late leader, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi had already established a template for bringing all aggrieved members together by instituting a peace and reconciliation Committee. We should, therefore, respect his memory and not embark on actions capable of further causing disunity.
“We should all embrace peace and forge a strong front to take back the state from the misadventure of the present administration.”