Oduduwa News

The Oyo state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to a comment credited to the state chapter of All Congress (APC) over the opposition party’s statement over the weekend.

The ruling party in a statement singed by its state publicity secretary, Engr Akeem Olatunji on Saturday and made available to newsmen described the opposition group which called itself All Progressives Congress Professionals (APC-P) an association of clowns with no basic knowledge of issues they attempted dabbling into.

Oyo state PDP wondered if the group was a splinter group or break away body from the known state chapter of APC adding that such act is a clear manifestation of failure and a disappointment to the people of Oyo state who had rejected the party in totality.

The ruling party expressed its disappointment in the way and manner Oyo state chapter of APC is going about performing its role as opposition, stressing that handlers of the party needed to be specially trained in the art of performing its duties outside of government.

According to the statement, the Oyo state chapter of APC’s endorsement of Makinde as political material for the presidency come 2023 was commendable but a needless distraction that can not deter governor Seyi Makinde and PDP from its focus.

The statement added that governor Makinde is too busy and committed to repositioning Oyo state from the shambles it inherited it from the last administration under APC.

The statement empathised with the state chapter of APC for having to cope with the pain of playing opposition in the state while ruling at the federal level on a controversial mandate.

The ruling party in the statement explained that it was really unfortunate that APC in Oyo state was a ‘successfully failed’ political party in government and as opposition party stressing that instead of rebuilding its battered party, it continued to deplete and degenerate into various splinter groups.

Speaking further, the ruling party according to the statement, described the allegation of having nothing to show after over a year in office as very amusing and laughable urging the APC–P to take a day tour of the town and see the improved quality of life in the state.

The statement reads in part: “Oyo state chapter of APC has further shown the world that its failure is not limited to when it was I’m government but also when it was rejected and relegated into the background with the sole responsibility of playing one of the opposition parties in the state.

” We are particularly disturbed because as a political party and the largest in Africa, we understand the concept of democracy and the role of opposition but our deepest disappointment is borne out of the fact that Oyo APC has reduced itself to mere association of clowns with the way and manner it is daily conducting itself.

“As a corporate man, governor Makinde is an exceptional achiever that’s completely not in the realm or contemporary of anyone currently in Oyo state APC, and as a governor, Makinde’s one year has recorded more success in term of improved quality of life than APC’s entire 8yrs put together.

“We expect vibrancy from Oyo APC so that we as the ruling party can continue to do better in our resolve and commitment to the state but instead, the opposition party is daily giving us comedy and absolutely unserious disposition to its role outside government.”

The ruling party, Oyo state PDP, however cautioned Oyo APC and all its splinter groups desperate for media popularity against making frivolous and unfounded allegations against Governor Makinde led government just to be in the news stressing that the era of false propaganda was long gone and the people of the state already know APC for what it is.

The statement however, reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of governor Seyi Makinde to the welfare, development and growth of Oyo state, assuring that Oyo state will never again return to the slave and slave master era of APC in the state.

There has been an indication that the All Progressives Congress and Peoples’ Democratic Party in Oyo State may engage themselves in trading of words as All Progressives Congress Professionals in the state recently raised a fresh alarm over what it termed as financial recklessness and usage of state resources by the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde to pursue his inordinate ambition.

The APC Professionals warned Governor Seyi Makinde to stop chasing shadow by desisting from wasting the state resources on the People’s Democratic Party affairs over his alleged ambition to run for vice-presidency in 2023.

The APC-P made this known in Ibadan while holding its meeting on Friday. The Party noted that rather than concentrating on governance, Makinde has endeared himself to mere political jamboree outside the state.

The APC group in the state claimed and alleged that going by information at its disposal, over N7bn had already been squandered on the fruitless political journey embarked on by the governor solely on activities within the PDP in the last six months.

The Chief Convener of the APC-P, Alhaji Adekunle Lawal, said, “Governor Makinde has completely abandoned governance in Oyo State for his quest to extend his political control to the entire South-West, South-South and some states in the North-Central.”

The group also averred that Seyi Makinde in his bid to pursue his inordinate ambition has spread its political tentacle to Niger State to annex his political structure overthere.

The erstwhile president of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the current socioeconomic problems currently battling Nigeria as a result of inept leaders at the helms of affairs. Obasanjo says over the last few years, the country has witnessed a great disintegration under Buhari and if nothing is done to strengthen the unity of Nigeria, the country might join the league of a failed state.

He said this in Abuja on Thursday while delivering a speech titled, ‘Moving Nigeria Away From Tipping Over’ at a consultative dialogue attended by some sociocultural groups in Nigeria.

Obasanjo, who is known for his active role in the Civil War, said he had never seen Nigeria so divided, adding that many of the problems plaguing the country today were due to the recent mismanagement of Nigeria’s diversity.

The former President said, “I do appreciate that you all feel sad and embarrassed as most of us feel as Nigerians with the situation we find ourselves in. Today, Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly divided state; economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country.

“And these manifestations are the products of recent mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of our country. Old fault lines that were disappearing have opened up in greater fissures and with drums of hatred, disintegration and separation and accompanying choruses being heard loud and clear almost everywhere.”

Obasanjo said those beating drums of war and calling for secession must remember that were Nigeria to break into several countries, the citizens would still be neighbours and would need to interact with one another.

He stated that if Nigeria was to successfully tackle its challenges, it must first address the problem of disunity because a house divided could not achieve much success.

The former President, therefore, commended all socio-cultural groups present at the meeting, describing their agreement to come together as a good sign.