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Gov Makinde
By OLATUNDE AJAYI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has stated that the political rally which the ruling Allied People’s Movement (APM) staged in Ibadan on Monday was shameful as it further exposed the insensitivity of Gov. Seyi Makinde’s administration to public outcry.
The APC alleged that Makinde’s APM mobilised members and supporters from across the 33 local government councils in the state to the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan for a campaign rally.
In a statement issued on Monday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the Oyo APC berated Gov. Makinde over the alleged forceful closure of many markets in Ibadan and the coercion of traders, commercial motorists and other residents to attend the rally.
The party alleged that the rally, which cost billions of naira taken from the state treasury, had been described by political pundits as a mere musical show aimed at creating a false impression of popularity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“At a time when questions are being asked about what Gov. Makinde did at the stadium to justify the whopping N5.5 billion cost of rehabilitation, especially since the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently rejected the facility for its matches, the stadium was instead turned into a campaign ground where APM members converged to enjoy Fuji music.
“Unfortunately, this happened when several thousands of soccer enthusiasts were mourning the early exit of their darling Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) from the ongoing Confederation Cup.
“Experts have also attributed the 3SC’s elimination by a Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien, to the first leg match which was played in Abeokuta, Ogun State, instead of Ibadan, because the Ibadan stadium was declared ‘too bad’ by a CAF inspection team earlier in June.
“Playing at their traditional home ground would have given 3SC the opportunity to score more goals at home that could have kept them ahead of the two goals conceded in Tunisia.
“Rather than refund the N5.5 billion misappropriated in the name of Adamasingba Stadium rehabilitation and re-award the project to a competent contractor in a transparent manner, Gov. Makinde continued to add insult to injury for the people,”Sadare said.
He added that many people had condemned the shoddy job done on the Ibadan stadium, but the Makinde administration defied them in what has been described as another show of impunity and recklessness. (NAN)
