Femi Babalola Blames Makinde For Lack Of Sustainable Development In Oyo State

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and owner of Jogor Events Center, Engr. Femi Babalola has lambasted the executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, saying that he lacked sustainable development in the state.

Babalola stated this recently on YS Life radio program , Yes 101.7Fm in Ibadan.

According to him, looking at critical issues that have to do with our political terrain and atmosphere currently in Oyo state such as competence, capability, and local knowledge, which go with the experience of the state, Makinde has none.

Babalola continued, “A lot of issues would have to come into consideration in the next gubernatorial election, which would go beyond party politics.

“We wish to go beyond rhetorics. It Is not only about party politics. Oyo State was well arranged before, but now it is no longer good.

“We are here to reshape things back in order. Some people are just after political appointments and once it fails, you can no longer see them in the state. We need people with good backgrounds to govern the state,” Babalola said.

Babalola said that Oyo State has made a lot of terrible mistakes by using sentiments to elect leaders.

He said, “We must restructure Oyo State mainly for our children, in order to avoid future disaster.”

Engr. Babalola stated further that lack of lucrative jobs, and insecurity, have bastardized everything.

“Like I have said earlier, this is beyond party politics, are we happy with the present situation in Oyo state?

“Look at education, Oyo State is a bit laid back, because schools don’t have access to grants.

“Principals are running into debts to ensure comfortability for their students. It is quite unfortunate, Oyo State performed woefully in the last West African Senior Secondary School Examinations (WASSCE), but the past rulers of the state have done wonders to the growth of the state.

“In this state, we have had people who were commissioners of police, major generals, and IG. So they are capable to know what to do in terms of insecurity.

“Oyo State is encountering more difficulties in the health sector.

“The government invested so much in agriculture, farming is very straight forward. No issues are attached to farming system. You can claim to be hardworking, but the end would justify the means.

“We have seen inflation that is affecting food prices every year, the government claims to be spending money on farm settlement, let us look at Awolowo’s reign in Nigeria. He had agricultural policy.

“Power is in the purvey of the federal government, we would continue to pray, that power gets better.

“The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola once said that a government that cannot provide power is useless. Power is one of the menaces we are facing in Oyo State.

“This is caused by the inability of the federal government to generate enough power.

“We know the factors of production and they are many, power is one of them and it’s very vital. We discovered that despite inadequate power supply, some companies are still able to perform. An example is Sumal, despite constant power failure, Sumal has continued to produce biscuits. British American tobacco products is still working. Fan milk also gives out its products continually,” he said.

About stadium, Babalola said that the government must do something productive to the development of the state.

He said that former governor Rasheed Ladoja bought shares to help Oyo State, and that he sold the shares and that he got more ten times of the money he spent on shares.

“We are making use of the money now, most of the government projects are misplaced priorities. Anyone, who plans to build a house would not start with a garden. All the roads are damaged, maybe they should try local government autonomy. When Akala left as governor, the state was being paid N120 million every month. The average receipt of local government in Oyo State was about eight million per month as at 2007.

“The government is looking up to local government accountability. If we want to deceive ourselves, we would say six and half a dozen are not the same.

“When America gained independence from Britain, they left with parliamentary system. But when they formed America, they developed a governance culture that suits them. I have not seen a governance system that we will create in Nigeria that will eliminate local government. Once you eliminate local government, there would not be any development.

“Instead, it is better to remove the state and leave the local government which is the British system. It was America that created the federal system which comprises federal, state and counties which is equivalent to local government. But the counties were put under the administration of the state, they recognize the fact that there is need for the government to be very close to the people.

“The family is a nucleus of any development, local governments are closer to the people and the environment generally. I listened to the governor’s interview and he said he is just implementing policy for three and half years.

“That means there was no policy from day one. Professors from sanitary engineering are in Ibadan, Oyo State. If they are not patient enough to get the facts about the state, I do not think they are capable to fix the problems. There would be loss of money, when it comes to experiments,” he said.

Asking him the way forward in 2023,

He said do not know yet, we should do what is profitable to us in our state, I can identify the house owners at this felele, I knew this road since 1981, and it’s getting worse.

On Babalola how sees Seyi Makinde in 2023, he said that Governor Seyi Makinde should bring out his score sheet and let the people see.

He added that there is no sustainable development in Oyo State, and that Governor Seyi Makinde does not support the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, and that the PDP members supportAtiku Abubakar, saying that two weeks ago, they had meetings thrice.

Asking him if he wish to form a coalition, he said that they dis not know the plan of God, saying that there has been a terrible mistake since 2019, but that God would reform the state in 2023.

While reacting to the prompt payment of salaries by Seyi Makinde-led administration, Engr. Babalola disclosed that the governor should be ashamed to count that as a major achievement, adding that it is the right of workers and not privilege, and that anyone who does it right, pays salary from his own pocket, not from the money from the federal government.

“Governor Seyi Makinde said we did not work for him to attain the position he is today.

“We helped him in 2019. Everything happens to be a lesson for an elderly person. God would make me relevant in this government. I should not labor in vain, we are taking our prayer points to the next level,” Babalola said.