By Adeyinka Adeniran
The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has told the ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP to hold Governor Seyi Makinde responsible for the reality of hopelessness which has allegedly stared them in the face ahead the 2027 elections warning that launching unwarranted attacks on its elected officials and leaders would not yield any desired results but rather compound their woes.
The APC was apparently reacting to the PDP’s harsh criticism of the lawmaker representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Abdufatai Buhari, over the inauguration of a Mosque project which he personally renovated for the benefit of Islamic faith adherents in his Ibapon community in Ogbomoso and which was commissioned by the Vice President, Sen. Kassim Shettima, on Friday.
In a statement issued at the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC revealed that “the PDP elements would not dare to attack or call Sen. Buhari out if they were properly briefed by Gov. Seyi Makinde on why he was desperate to win the federal lawmaker to his side of the umbrella party in the build up to the last general election. In fact, the bleak future which awaits the PDP is directly connected with the poor man management as well as lack of innovation, creativity and sincerity by the current PDP administration in the state and not necessarily the desire of the APC to dislodge them in 2027.
“The reaction of the ruling PDP in the state to the event of last Friday in Ogbomoso was a height of insensitivity and irresponsibility as it portrays handlers of the umbrella party as idle, petty and clownish set of people. Recently, we spoke against the mindless outbursts of Gov. Makinde at Saki where he made some remarks capable of setting Muslims and Christians against one another on account of bitter politics. Now, his party has come out to condemn the upgrade of a Mosque by a privileged individual who have been rated as one of the best thing to have happened to the masses of Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso in the current political dispensation.
“As much we try to avoid the bait of sentiments being promoted by the PDP in the state, it should be established that Sen. Buhari has done well by upgrading his community Mosque as this indicates that he is conscious of his faith as a Muslim while we are convinced that his religion mandates him to be fair and just to all Muslims, Christians and other religionists as their representative. We are also aware of similar gestures he has extended to other faith adherents and we are cocksure he would continue to serve his people without any form of discrimination, deprivation and bias.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Oyo APC parades the best set federal lawmakers in the National Assembly at the moment and this is evident in the quality of representation they offer their respective constituents as well as the value they add to the state and Nigeria as a whole unlike their counterparts in the PDP who are always missing in action. It should be recalled that the deputy governor of the state, Chief Bayo Lawal, led a delegation of state government officials and PDP stalwarts to be part of the Mosque commissioning last Friday and this was because they felt the need to identify with an harbinger of positive development to the masses.
“If the same PDP is now trying to condemn Sen. Buhari and his guests (including Vice President Kassim Shettima and Gov. Makinde’s deputy) for sharing in the joy of a community in the state, something is wrong somewhere. The Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso highway is in bad shape but contractors have been moved to site following the motion calling on the federal government to do the needful as moved by Sen. Buhari on the floor of the Senate but residents of Ogbomoso who gnash their teeth on daily basis as a result of deplorable township and intra-city roads do not know where to turn since Gov. Makinde and his appointees are far away from them.” APC said.
