By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju has countered the claims of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) saying the governor never faulted or accused President Bola Tinubu on subsidy removal or its timing.
Noting that what the Governor said was to make reference to the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the populace, Olanrewaju said it was clear that the APC in the state is on an attention-seeking voyage.
He however added that, the governor, while not faulting the policy or the timing, noted the undeniable fact that the policy has had a telling effect on the populace.
Olanrewaju spoke in reaction to an earlier statement by the Oyo APC through its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare.
Olanrewaju said “It is clear that the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State is on an attention-seeking voyage. The party has been put to deep slumber by the unprecedented achievements of His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde in the last 55 months.
“What the party and its members do now is merely to grasp at anything to gain the public space.
“However, they seem to have forgotten that Oyo State people cannot be beguiled by the shallow arguments they keep bandying about.
“What the Governor said was to make reference to the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the populace.
“While not faulting the policy or the timing, the undeniable fact is that the policy has had a telling effect on the populace. That is what Governor Makinde referred to.
“The APC PRO, who is attacking the governor, also made reference to the effects of the same policy on the generality of Nigerians in the statement he issued. Is he also faulting the policy?
“The APC folks need to know when to drop politicking and face governance. As far as Governor Seyi Makinde is concerned, elections are over, it is time for governance. He is resolved to improve the lot of the people of Oyo state through quality leadership, the APC ranters can neither hinder nor stop him even if they fail to desist from their ranting.”
Corenews reports that, the Oyo APC tackled Makinde over condemnation of fuel subsidy removal by Tinubu.
The party who took a swipe at the governor over what it described as his recent condemnation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decision to stop payment of fuel subsidy as contained in his (Tinubu) inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.
According to Oyo APC, Makinde made the remark during an Inter-faith prayer session held at the Agodi Government Secretariat on Tuesday where he reportedly blamed the worsening economic situation in the country on the Tinubu administration.
The statement read in part, “We had waited few days expecting Gov. Makinde to debunk or make clarification on the misleading statement credited to him in the media since Tuesday but this never happened. It is then obvious that a governor, in his second term in office, actually put the blame of dwindling economy on a seven month-old government at the centre even when the whole world knows he is part of the problem.
“As much as we would not delve into the culpability of Gov. Makinde in the mismanagement of the nation’s petroleum resources, it is important we ask him to withdraw his criticism of President Bola Tinubu on the courageous and heroic decision to stop fuel subsidy payment by the federal government since it has been established that the policy was not only fraudulent but also counterproductive and economically suicidal.
“It is an undeniable fact that things took worse dimension for the residents of the country since May last year when the federal government announced total removal of subsidy on imported petroleum products especially premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol but there is no better time for the government to take the bold decision than when it was done while there is high hope that the situation would return to normal in no time. Even all the leading candidates in the last presidential election had indicated their individual resolve to take similar step if given the opportunity to rule Nigeria.
“As a matter of fact, most governors are responsible for the growing poverty in the land and Gov. Makinde is not an exception. Why would poverty not spread when a governor deliberately grounded the third tier of government in his state and this, denies officials from using the funds accruing to their councils to serve the masses? Why would poverty not spread in the land when a governor fails to create employment and wealth with the enormous resources at his disposal but he chooses to waste public funds on questionable contracts awarded at inflated costs?
“How would Oyo not be among poverty-stricken states in Nigeria when we have a governor whose achievement on commerce is extinction of Agbowo shopping complex where thousands of residents used to make a living.
“On agriculture, Gov. Makinde started by taking N7.6billion loan with a promise to build farm estates and he has nothing to show after four years but he blames Tinubu for removing fuel subsidy. Last year, the same governor moved N3.35b out of Oyo state treasury ostensibly to purchase 105 units of plastic cars at the rate of N32million per one and less 100 units were displayed months after. Nigerians should be the judge here.” Oyo APC lamented.
