By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Engr Oyedele Hakeem Alao, has come hard on Governor Seyi Makinde, accusing him of mortgaging the future of the state by wasting its resources through misplaced projects.
Alao in a statement he personally signed titled, “Governor Seyi Makinde becoming an albatross to Oyo State”, and made available in Ibadan, said one year after the governor ordered the demolition of the Oyo State House in Abuja, there is no date in sight for the completion of the building.
He said when the building located in the Asokoro area of the nation’s capital city was demolished, the government assured of its completion within a short period of time, lamenting that it is still under construction one year after.
The Asiwaju of Iroko, said he was surprised that the building which accommodates top government officials including liaison officers has not been completed, disclosing that the new structure under construction with no known contractor is yet be roofed, talk less of been equipped with necessary fittings and facilities.
He lamented that the top officials who were displaced from the old building have been staying in hotels, a situation costing the state government millions of naira every month, insisting that the administration of Governor Makinde has further shown itself as one enamoured with misplaced projects.
According to him, it is glaring that the project would be abandoned as every fund accruable to Governor Makinde now would be channelled to his second term project, stating that the governor is fully occupied with political activities with no time to attend to state matters.
He said, “I condemned the demolition last year because it was a waste of resources as the building did not require any renovation or remodelling because of the psychedelic nature of late former governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Why did the governor pull down such an edifice that served as an abode for Oyo State government officials in Abuja?
“In the last one year, the officials have no place to stay and have been lodging in hotels. This meant that millions of naira must have been spent on hotel accommodation alone.
“The government promised to get it ready in a short time, but the building has not been completed as work is still ongoing.
“This amounts to a breach of the agreement and waste of resources. Why the demolition when the governor knew that the building would not be completed on time?
“Officials are now living in hotels at the expense of the state fund. I am therefore urging our royal fathers, political leaders, eminent personalities and those who have the interest of the state at heart, to call on Governor Seyi Makinde, to as a matter of urgency to complete the lodge so that Oyo State personnel can move in instead of these wasteful spending.”
