A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibadan North-West and South-West Federal Constituency, and a 2027 governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Hon. Dhikrulahi Stanley Adedeji, has criticised the Federal Government over the zero implementation of the 2025 budget, as well as the reported nationwide insecurity.

Adedeji stated that the non-funding of the budget has negatively impacted various sectors of the economy, including security.

He made this known while receiving the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State chapter, led by Akeem Abass, in Ibadan.

The lawmaker, while applauding the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, for the various security measures taken to attract local and foreign investment to the state, stressed the need for the Federal Government to be proactive on security issues.

According to him, “Many factors are responsible to the prevailing security situation in the Country. Many youths are taking up arms as a result of the geometric increase in unemployment rate.

“Also the dwindling economic situation in the Country have turned many people to beggars.

“The failure of the government to cushion the effect of the economic hardship is responsible for the various challenges that the nation is being confronted with.

“When you have the economy for two years that the Federal government has not funded the budget and you say that there is crime in the land. What do you expect, hunger comes with the crime

“When the people don’t have food to eat, they will move to crimes and criminalities. We have been making noise. We have shutdown the House. We have walked out of the House. We have screamed and all of that.

“The 2025 budget is still zero implementation. We can talk about Oyo State. Oyo state is still better than some states in the Country.

“Part of the problems that we have is the poor management of our resources. About two weeks ago, one of our Reps members from the South East uncovered something that N1.5 trillion disappear from the pockets of the government.

“What is going on is not peculiar to Oyo state but the entire Country because there is hunger in the land. I don’t care how much dollar is. Just bring food. Our people are struggling to pay rent. Our people are struggling to put food on the table. Those are the bottom lines

“The help is on the way. Governor Makinde is doing the right thing to reposition the state

“Recently, Governor Makinde purchased the surveillance Aircrafts. The surveillance aircrafts are not for anything but mainly for the security.

“There are lots of training and learning curve that go along with that. Once fully functional you can take aerial image of Oyo state on a daily basi

On the PDP crisis, he said, “We politicians, we know how to solve our problems. People should leave us alone.

“We will solve the problem. This is not the first time that we will have this kind of crisis. We will survive it. We have been to the Supreme Court and came back more united.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Council, Abass, informed the lawmaker about the various programmes of the council, including the training of members in Artificial Intelligence and other areas.

He commended the lawmaker for partnering with the council and also solicited more assistance. (Nigerian Tribune)