Oyo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) In the 2019 election, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, said almost two years after Governor Seyi Makinde was inaugurated, nothing concrete could be pointed to as the achievement of the People’s Democratic Party-led government.
This is just as he disclosed that he was grateful that he did not win the 2019 election, adding that he would be a better governor in 2023.
He stressed that losing the election has afforded him the opportunity of knowing more about how progressives in the state operate and helped him to warm himself into the heart of the grassroots and members of his APC.
Adelabu disclosed this in Ibadan on Thursday, during a media parley and lunch with journalists in commemoration of his 50th birthday anniversary.
Reacting to the performance of the Makinde-led administration, Adelabu said: “everything PDP government has been doing is not directly beneficial to the masses. A good government must understand the needs of the people which the current administration has failed to do. Philanthropy is good but it should not be a basis for selecting a leader.
“It is evident that I will remove Makinde in 2023. He lacks ideas. Everything this administration promised the people of the state is still on their wish list 16 months after coming on board.”
Adelabu while reiterating his commitment to a better Oyo State, described Engr Seyi Makinde’s administration as lacking foresight.
He stated further that no state needs a governor before salary is paid, explaining that “When salary is paid through statutory allocations and it goes straight to the Accountant General, they take it to the bank and they pay. Why must that be the major achievement of any governor?”
Adelabu added that “Makinde is deceiving people with his populist programmes, which, in most cases, are not always giving the state sustainable development, it is more about immediate consumption. Populist programmes are short-lived. Within a short period, people will know that this man doesn’t really have so much to offer in terms of sustainable infrastructural development.
“It is going to two years now, can you point at one or two major projects that this government has completed? Everything is still on their wish list and if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”
The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) noted that with the calibre of people that have returned to the APC “no party can stand the way of our party.”
The Parakoyi of Ibadan land was full of thanks to God for sparing his life to reach 50 years, noting that his grandfather, Adegoke Adelabu and father AbdulRauf Adelabu, both died aged 43 and 33 respectively.
At the event were former Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, Hon. Wale Sanusi, Hon. Wale Murphy, Hon. Gbenga Olayemi and Dr. Bayo Busari.
