Seyi Makinde speaks on Oyo’s N157bn debt profile, tackles Ajimobi on workers’ salary

A gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde has queried Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s legacy over the alleged suffering of hapless citizens of the state.

Makinde described the legacy bequeathed the people “as deliberately designed to frustrate the vulnerable ones in the society and punish the poor.”

The PDP stalwart made these declarations shortly after he was screened and cleared for the party’s governorship primary.

While speaking further, he said that any candidate who believes he can ride on the back of Governor Ajimobi’s achievements lacks the compassion and capacity to make a difference in the lives of the common man.

While also querying the state’s N157 billion debt profile of the government, the aspirant said that “It would take the next 18 years for a succeeding government to pay up the N157bn debt which this government has incurred in seven years”.

Makinde said that Oyo state ranks 30 among the 36 states in Nigeria and cannot sustain itself because it has a monthly N10b expenditure and a monthly revenue of N6billion, leaving a deficit level of N4bn.

He said, “The implication of this figure is that the state sinks into further debt every month to fulfil its recurrent responsibilities in spite of increase in statutory allocations of 34bn from oil revenues and VAT of 1.3bn.

“Even if Governor Ajimobi turns a new leaf today and pays up all the outstanding debts owed the poor workers and pensioners, the damage has already been done,” Makinde averred.

According to the PDP aspirant, he has done his homework and with transparency and accountability which are currently lacking and management of overheads, the situation can be reversed within just two years.

Makinde added that “I am in the best position to turn around the fortunes of Oyo state because of my unblemished record as a successful businessman. What’s more, I have no Godfather to mislead me to work against the interest of the masses”.