The Oyo State Elite Group has faulted former Minister of Power Elder Wole Oyelese and the All Progressives Congress over their criticisms of Governor Seyi Makinde local government performance.
The group urged political critics to consider verifiable infrastructure projects across the region instead of relying on narrow assessments.
The prominent association also challenged Oyelese to direct his energy towards prevailing on the Federal Government to urgently fix the Ibadan Oyo Ogbomoso Road rehabilitation project. According to the coalition, the federal highway has deteriorated to an almost impassable condition for daily motorists.
Demanding Accountability for Local Projects
The group stated that Oyelese and other political stakeholders should extend their demand for accountability to federal infrastructure. They insisted that public officeholders at every level must be held responsible for the condition of roads under their respective jurisdictions.
The statement was signed by the group’s Chairman, Segun Adewumi. He maintained that while financial transparency at the grassroots level remains necessary, the same standard of scrutiny must apply to federal transport corridors.
Oyelese, who convenes the Oyo State Grassroots Financial Accountability Initiative, had earlier challenged Makinde to account for allocations due to the state’s thirty-three local councils since 2019. Responding to this demand, the Oyo State Elite Group argued that assessments of governance must also weigh projects delivered in communities.
Reviewing the Official Project Register
The coalition pointed out that critics are well aware that several local council projects remain ongoing and are expected to be commissioned before the current tenure ends. Dismissing the government’s grassroots record prematurely ignores verifiable data released by the state administration.
According to the group, the official register published through the Oyo State Feedback Service documents projects across Ibadan, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, and Oyo zones. These listed assets can be independently verified through physical site inspections and official records.
“The listed projects can be independently verified through physical inspections and examination of official records,” the group noted in its statement.
Documented road works include the 14.1-kilometre Eruwa–Maya Road in Ibarapa East, the 15.75-kilometre Igbole Express Road in Ibarapa Central, and the 5.9-kilometre Akobo Ojurin–Olorunda Abaa Road in Lagelu. Additional interventions cover drainage systems, culverts, and bridges designed to improve rural mobility.
The Federal Highway Crisis
The association expressed deep concern over the state of the federal highway, noting that its failure places heavy pressure on alternative routes. Motorists now rely heavily on the Ibadan–Iseyin and Iseyin–Ogbomoso roads constructed by the Makinde administration to avoid lengthy travel delays.
The group urged Oyelese to use his stature as an elder statesman to engage federal authorities on the road crisis. It also called on the Oyo State APC governance criticism machinery to factor in neglected federal infrastructure rather than focusing solely on state-level actions.
Progress in Education and Health
Beyond transport, the group highlighted achievements in the education sector. These include a completed three-classroom block at Ajangba Community Primary School in Irepo and renovation works at Command Secondary School in Wewe.
In healthcare, ongoing health-centre projects at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Iseyin and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education in Oyo demonstrate active grassroots development. Market reconstructions, security vehicle procurements, and solar lighting installations further validate the current administration’s local investments.
Ultimately, the Oyo State Elite Group called for balanced financial transparency coupled with a rigorous examination of the state’s published project register by all political stakeholders.
