By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and owner of Jogor Events Centre, Engr. Femi Babalola, lambasted the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for lacking sustainable development in the state.
Babalola stated this recently on the YS life radio program, on Yes 101.7FM in Ibadan.
According to him, “looking at critical issues that have to do with our political terrain and atmosphere currently in Oyo State such as competence, capability, and local knowledge which goes with the experience of the state, Makinde has none.”
Jogor continued: “A lot of issues would have to come into consideration in the next gubernatorial election, which would go beyond party politics.
“In the past years, we wish to go beyond rhetorics. It Is not only about party politics but as far as the state is concerned. Oyo State was well arranged before, but now it is no longer good. We are here to reshape things back in order. Some people are just after political appointments and once it fails, you will no longer see them in the state. We need people with good backgrounds to govern the state.”
Babalola condemned sentiments, saying that Oyo State has made a lot of terrible mistakes using sentiments to elect leaders. In his words, “We must restructure Oyo State mainly for our children, in order to avoid future negligence”.
Engr. Babalola also disclosed further that there are no lucrative jobs in the state, while insecurity, has bastardised everything.
“As I have said earlier, this is beyond party politics. Are we happy with the present situation in Oyo State?
“Looking at education, Oyo State is a bit laid back, because the schools could not have access to grants. The principals were running into debt so as to ensure comfort for their students. It was quite unfortunate, Oyo State performed woefully in the last concluded West Africa Examination Council (WAEC). And the past aged rulers of the state have done wonders for the growth of the state.
In this state, we had people who were commissioners of police, major generals, and IG. So they are capable to know what to do in terms of insecurity.
Oyo state is encountering more difficulties in the health sector.
The government invested so much in agriculture, farming is very straightforward. No issues are attached to the farming system. You could claim to be hardworking, but the end would justify the means. As we can witness the inflation of food prices every year, the government claims in spending money on farm settlements, let us take a view of Awolowo’s reign in Nigeria… He has an Agricultural policy, all those products were the results of Awolowo’s farm policy.
Power, sport and infrastructure,
Power is in the privy of the federal government, we would continue to pray, that the power get better. Fashola once said a government that can not provide power is a useless one. Power is one of the menaces we are facing in Oyo state. This is caused by the inability of the federal government to generate enough power.
There is one thing called the factors of production and they are many, power is one of them and it’s very vital. There is no governor that power would not hinder his performance, but we have discovered that despite inadequate power supply, some companies are still able to perform. An example is Sumal, despite the power failure, Sumal continues to produce biscuits. British American Tobacco products are available.. Fan milk also gives out its products continually.
Babalola condemned roads, street lights, and also roads in Oke-Ogun
“We have seen the street lights are working and we have also seen the stadium.
The stadium
Babalola said there is no person that would govern, he must do something productive to the development of the state. Governor Rasheed Ladoja bought shares to help Oyo state, he sold the shares which was ten times greater than the money he spent on shares. We are making use of money now, most of the government projects are misplaced priorities. One who plans to build a house would not start with a garden. All the roads are damaged, maybe they should try local government autonomy. When Akala left as governor, south-west was being paid 120 million every month. The average receipt of local government in Oyo state was about eight million per month as at 2007.
The government are looking up to local government accountability, if we want to deceive ourselves, we would say six and half a dozen are not the same. Let us say we are using a federation. It is what is enshrined in the Constitution that we are using whatever we see, we call it. When America gained it independence from Britain, they left with the parliamentary system. But when they formed America, they developed a governance culture that suit them. I have not seen a governance system that we will create in Nigeria that will eliminate the local government, once you eliminate local government, there would not be any development.
Instead, it is better to remove the state and leave the local government which is the British system. It was America that created the federal system which comprises of federal, state and counties which is equivalent to local government. But the county was put under the administration of the state, they recognize the fact that there is a need for the government to be very close to the people.
The family is a nucleus of any development, local governments are closer to people and the environment generally. I listened to the governor’s interview and he said he is just implementing the policy for three and half years. That means there was no policy from day one. Professors from sanitary engineering are in Ibadan, Oyo state. If they are not patient enough to get the facts about the state, I do not think they are capable to fix the problems. There would be a loss of money when it comes to experiments.
Asking him about the way forward in 2023, and he said do not know yet, we should do what is profitable to us in our state, I can identify the house owners at this Felele, I knew this road since 1981, and it’s getting worse.
Asking Babalola how he sees Seyi Makinde in 2023, he said “Governor Seyi Makinde should bring out his score sheet and let us see, so we should consider more people as candidates who are willing to serve Oyo state.
“Oyo state lacks sustainable development… There must be enough funds to do projects and since there are not enough funds, there’s nothing the state can do.
“There is no sustainable development in Oyo state, and governor Seyi Makinde does not support the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, we the PDP members supported Atiku Abubakar, two weeks ago, we had meetings thrice, the originators of people’s democratic party in Oyo State.”
Asking him if he wish to form a coalition, he said “We do not know God’s plan because there was a terrible mistake since 2019, but God would reform the state in 2023.”
While reacting to the prompt Payment of salary by the Seyi Makinde-led administration, Engr. Babalola disclosed that the governor should be ashamed to count that as a major achievement adding that it is a right and not a privilege, one who does it right, pays salaries from his own pocket, not from the Federal government.
And Governor Seyi Makinde said we did not work for him to attain the position he is in today. We are sure of our consciences because we helped him in 2019. Everything happens to be a lesson for an elderly person.
God, make me relevant in this government… I should not labour in vain, we are taking our prayer points to the next level Babalola said.
