Sola Abegunde is a politician in the All Progressives Congress (APC). He a critic of the current government in Oyo State. He speaks with STEPHEN GBADAMOSI on governments, past and present, in the state. Excerpts:
Can you compare governments in Oyo State to what we have now?
One major difference from what we have today and what we used to have across different Governments in the past is the genuineness in the intentions of those who have been privileged to govern Oyo state before Governor Seyi Makinde.
What do I mean by that? In the past, you could easily tie the past Governors to their campaign promises. For example, the late former Governor Lam Adesina promised free education and you could see a deliberate dedication to that promise, most especially, at the levels of primary and secondary education.
Education was totally free at the two levels and Government provided infrastructures and amenities to enhance quality education. Text books and exercise books were given to students for free. The dedication of Lam to infrastructures was unquestionable.
To his credit, an alternative route was provided to link Ibarapa and some parts of Oke Ogun with the state capital, Ibadan through a 57 kilometers of road network between Eleyele, Ido to New Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local Government.
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Local governments were given freedom to operate on their own without undue interference from the state governor. The issue of transparency is another factor that distinguishes governance from what we presently have. For former Governor Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, he promised free education and was specific on the dedication of his government to a policy of 30 pupils per class in government’s public primary and secondary schools and he delivered on the promises as governor.
There is no doubt that he also allowed the local governments to run without noticeable interference. The late Adebayo Alao-Akala, as governor, made a promise towards free education, just like his predecessors, and was specific on the fact that his government would be paying for both the WAEC and NECO fees for Oyo State candidates. He fulfilled those promises. He also gave commendable freedom to the local government chairmen; and during his time, local governments across the 33 councils embarked and completed many road projects.
The late former Governor Ajimobi promised, among others, to dualise the major roads within notable cities in Oyo State and the promises were largely kept.
He devised a system that committed stakeholders in the education sector to commit to the development of the sector. He also paid for the WAEC fees for Oyo State candidates; but he didn’t pay for NECO.
Even though, he didn’t conduct local government election until his second term, as a result of a protracted court matter, he, to his credit, gave the local governments commendable freedom to operate. In contrast, Governor Makinde has completely killed the local governments in the state.
He admitted during a gubernatorial debate in the build-up to the 2023 general elections that he didn’t believe in the freedom of local governments and he walked the talk. Activities in the local governments are at ground zero since 2019. It is public knowledge that he has been speaking against the judgment of the Supreme Court which granted financial autonomy to local governments.
To cap it, he has allegedly taken a loan, using the accounts for the 33 local governments as collateral. He has been taking loans, committing same on white elephants projects like the building of garages and the Light Up Oyo. N15 billion was obtained as loan to build three garages which he claimed were fetching N60 million monthly. Incidentally, the maintenance of parks and garages, under our constitution, are responsibilities of the local governments.
He awarded a contract for N28 billion to mount streetlights that are being powered by generators!
The governor eventually accused the contractor of defaulting in the terms of the contract, but nothing was done to the contractor and the project has failed. Governor Makinde collected N5 billion as lease on the Agbowo Shopping Complex since around 2020. The lease agreements was for an incredible fifty years.
Unfortunately, the lease for a remodeling of the complex. Up till today, nothing has happened to the complex and even some citizens were duped by those who allegedly acted as consultants to the person who got the complex on lease. The complex has regrettably become a haven of criminals. Oyo state is presently behind Northern states like Kaduna and even Boko Haram-ravaged Borno in the WAEC index of states.
The debts profile of the state, under Governor Makinde, has increased astronomically and the governor has not answered questions about the actual amounts being owed. In the field of agriculture, the commitment of Governor Makinde to agribusiness, as against realistic agricultural establishments, is misconceived.
States like Ogun and Lagos have led in the productions of rice, but Oyo has no single acre of farm land, despite the massive arable land at its disposal. So, when you look at all this, you will agree with me that transparency is presently a big issue in the government led by Governor Makinde.
I must also add that Governor Makinde protected a notorious criminal in the name of Mukaila Lamidi, aka Auxiliary, whom he appointed as the chairman of the Oyo Parks Management System (PMS).
The fellow is an ex-convict and as Governor Makinde’s appointee between 2019 to 2023, he was accused of series of murders within the state; but the governor protected him only to clamp him in detention for illegal possession of firearms and murder after the his second term election when the fellow grew wings.
How do you view the scenario that Ibadan has been producing more of the governors than other zones of the state?
You’re correct. Ibadan has produced governors of the state since 1999, with the exception of the late Governor Alao-Akala who served just a term of four years between 2011 and 2015. There has been agitations from other zones, but I think the unity in purpose among the zones is a big issue.
There has been no consensus built among them. Oke-Ogun represents the largest bloc with 10 local governments, followed by Ogbomoso, Oyo and lastly, Ibarapa zone which has the lowest numbers of local governments. People like Chief Robert Koleosho, from Oke-Ogun, Dr. Bayo Adewusi, from Ibarapa and many others had mounted serious challenges in the past; but Ibadan always prevailed, leveraging on number and the lack of unity and understanding amongst the other zones.
If the other zones are desirable of having a shot at the governorship, I personally think a lot needs to be done in the areas of consensus building, unity and negotiations with Ibadan. I honestly think it is something to be forced, but if you’re asking me whether the other zones are equally entitled to aspire and be considered for the governorship seat, my answer is yes.
What actually is your problem with the government of the day in Oyo State?
Like I have said earlier, I have serious issues with the debts profile of Oyo State under him (the governor). I have issues with the fact that he has spent so much on agribusiness, instead of investing in agriculture. Oyo State is blessed with about four farm settlements, already put in place by the late Premier of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo.
One would have expected that the governor would follow in the footsteps of Awolowo by leveraging on the advantages provided by the structure and invest in the cultivation of land for the production of food crops and livestock farming, as against his policies of giving away the land in Fashola to foreign farmers, while the government stay idle.
I have issues with his education policy which has put Oyo State behind states like Kaduna and Borno in the WAEC index of states.
I have issues with his decision to borrow a whopping sum of N25 billion to build garages when the education sector is underfunded.
His association with a notorious ex-convict, Lamidi Mukaila (Auxiliary), was a great embarrassment to the state. I have issues with his opposition to the freedom of the local governments.
Having said that, you have to give him credit on workers welfare. He has been paying the salaries and pensions of civil servants as and at when due.
I also belief he deserves commendation for the construction of a road between Iseyin and Ogbomoso. In the final analysis, I will score his Government very low.
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