THESE EMERGENCY POLITICIAN’S IN APC SHOULD SPARE THEIR LEADER FURTHER EMBARRASSMENT BY KEEPING THEIR MOUTHS SHUT AND STAY AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC FOR NOW. WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE HORRORS VISITED ON THE STATE BY THEIR GOVERNMENT*
It was quite interesting this afternoon as we listened to the debate between Madam Bolanle Aliyu Sarumi the Snr Special Assistant to GSM on the Diaspora and a former aide of ex Governor Ajimobi as moderated by Isaac Brown.
The debate threw up many issues from both sides. Mr Ambali tried to tell us that the Ajimobi regime was a paradise for the people of Oyo State. That was surprising considering the points the APC man raised himself. The facts that have been in the public domain since 2012 do not Mr Ambali’s position. It is either he’s ignorant of the horrible situation his master pushed Oyo State into due to the fact that he was just an appendage in that government or he’s deliberately misleading the public by concealing the truth. We owe it a public duty to set the record straight .
*Security*
On the debate the issue of security was raised. Mr Ambali tried to disparage the government of one the APC leaders Otunba Alao Akala by saying he left a disorderly society with a high crime rate. We note that it was Akala who prepared the ground for Operation Burst which unlike the past regime the Seyi Makinde administration has taken to its enviable height. GSM’s interest in security is evidenced in the appointment of a retired Commissioner of Police as his Security Adviser unlike Ambali’s boss that appointed his wife’s cousins without any security background into that position
Mr Ambali in his attempt to distort the recent history of the state claimed that Chief Ajimobi regime was totally peaceful. This is white lie. Because youth unemployment was not addressed a number of violent youth gangs sprang up in Ibadan engaging in regular altercations leading to many houses shops in areas like Popoyemoja, Born Photo, Idi Arere, Kudeti, Ile Titun, Agbeni, Foko, Itamaya burnt down or looted. Similar things played out in Oyo which made the youths there cried out for help. This is apart from the violence that was highly visible in the 2015 and 2019 elections. The violence that was the trade mark of the APC campaign in 2019 is unforgettable
With these facts it is known that the Ajimobi government failed woefully on security and GSM has just started to rebuild the security infrastructure left in tatters by the shameless past regime
*Health and other issues*
Mr Ambali defended the health policies of his boss Ajimobi. One is wondering where are the health facilities built by the government. Akala reviewed the old Adeoyo hospital but Ajimobi brought the place down because his wife who never trained as either a doctor or a nurse established a private health services outfit with modern equipment. In order to drive traffic to her centre government health facilities were paralysed. GSM has started reviving the facilities. What he has down to the facility at Olodo which was handed over by Ajimobi in an uncomplicated manner and yet commissioned by the former Governor, by upgrading it and now useful in the treatment of covid19 patients is highly commendable.
We should ask Ambali, his boss and the APC the following pertinent questions
1. On AgricOyo launched in. 2016 where are the products and where is the money?
2. On the delivery of road infrastructures
a. Why is the Mokola flyover more expensive than similar ones built by Gov Amosun also an APC Governor who has helped many Oyo APC members get appointment in Abuja where Ajimobi has failed?
b. Why was the Saki township road abandoned?
c. Who’s the owner of PRODEAL company that was awarded the contract for the dualisation of Aleshinloye -Jericho – Eleyele Road. The same company was used to purchase a house in a choice area of North London
d. Who’s the owner of Nairda the company awarded contracts for the construction of Apete road and bridge which was abandoned and completed by direct labour meaning Government lost money. Same company was awarded the dualisation of Oyo road? Is it true that the company is owned by a side chick?
e. Is it true that the contract for the Eleyele-Eruwa road was meant to be dualisation whereas Oyo State people got a single lane road?
f. Who bought many Oyo State companies including the Trans Motel, OYSFICO, Compole, Cashew nut processing Co. and many others?
g. Where’s the industrial park? Ibadan Media City? The Chinese investors? Scam all over the place.
Workers Welfare*
The APC representative, Mr Ambali claimed that his former boss took adequate care of workers welfare and went on to condemn GSM’s efforts in this area. He should be ashamed of himself to say this. For the past one year GSM has been paying salaries of workers on or before 25th of every month. He has paid 3 months salaries fully during this lockdown while asking political appointees to take a 50% cut in their salaries. Thank God Ajimobi is not in charge during this pandemic people would have been dying of hunger as he would not pay salaries. People will not forget so soon how Ajimobi owed workers months of salaries and he was putting money in interest yielding accounts especially in a bank where one of his in- laws worked as a director. Workers protested several times yet he would not pay. In the midst of that he went to Lebanon to celebrate his daughters wedding and chartered several private aircrafts to take guests to Kano for his son ‘ s wedding while the poor workers were languishing in poverty and deprivation. GSM has brought all that to an end
How can Oyo State forget the rampant dismissal of civil servants and many premature retirement. These dislocated many families. GSM in one year has revisited the injustice meted to the concerned workers.
SUBEB
so that no politician could take any benefit from the state place. As usual the contracts went to his cronies including proxies and siblings who generally delivered jobs suspected to be substandard. Mr Ambali should tell the people of Oyo State if this was the best way to develop education
h. Why should a governor convert the resources of the state to the benefit of himself and his immediate family members. Or do you describe a situation in which a governor appropriated for himself over 300 government landed properties in choice locations in Ibadan worth billions of naira.
i. What about the Iseyin – Moniya road which was awarded, money paid but work not done. And a serving Senator whose governorship ambition is currently rocking the APC is alleged to be neck deep in this scandal. Thank God GSM is rescuing that road now to the administration of the people.
j. The conversion of local government funds into private property. The basterdisation of the Local Government Excess Crude Oil Account and its massive looting is well known and we urge GSM not to allow this matter to be swept under the carpet
The monumental looting of government treasury in Oyo State between 2011 and 2019 is still fresh in our memories. It is therefore out of place for any APC stalwart to come and insult the intelligence of the people of Oyo State. We call on the anti- corruption agencies to probe the accounts of the state between 2011 and 2019.
Dr.Babayemi Alowonle
Writes from Ibadan
