The Accord Party has affirmed that the support and acceptance enjoyed by the party in Oyo state cannot be less than seventy-five percent.
The Director-General (DG) of the Bayo Adelabu Campaign Organisation (BACO), Adegboyega Adegoke, disclosed this in an interview with Voice of Nigeria, noting that the party was on the path to winning elections in the state as the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Bayo Adelabu, is a man of great name, influence, experience, capability and capacity.
Adegoke said: “He has a large followership which he moved to Accord. People move with him wherever he goes because of his antecedents and he can take Oyo State back to its pacesetter status. The records are there, the performance is there. That is why I can tell you, by the grace of God, Accord is winning the election, Bayo is going to be the Executive Governor of this state in 2023.”
He pointed out that the reason Adelabu wanted to become the governor of Oyo State is to serve the people, turn the state around, make it great and restore its pacesetter status so that it could become an example to other states, asserting that Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is a man of great experience who had worked both in the private and public sectors.
He stated: “He had started establishing businesses that employ people in Oyo State since 2006. He could have taken his businesses to other states because you make more money in Lagos or Abuja or even Port-Harcourt but he decided to establish his businesses in Oyo State to employ indigenes.”
Adegoke, who proclaimed that there were three major players in the governorship race of the state, berated the present administration for the poor situation of things in the state including the education sector whereby the state is ranked 33 out of 36 states and 50 schools delisted by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
The DG lamented that the administration did not employ enough teachers, stopped the N3000 paid by parents to support schools saying they would fund schools but refused to give subvention because there was no guarantee the money would not be mismanaged and employed a consultant to manage all state-owned higher institutions, putting the schools at the mercy of the consultant.
He noted: “No public water yet chemicals being bought every month, mass transit buses bought about two years before being put to use because the bus stations where the buses would be put were not ready. You need an experienced person that will make sure he spends judiciously the resources of Oyo State for the benefit and betterment of the people of Oyo State.”
Adegoke argued that the debt profile of the state had been rising as the governor kept taking loans and borrowing money, even the cooperative deduction of workers in the state.
The DG stated: “Now he’s encouraging thuggery. He has even built four stations for them, two at Iwo Road, one in Challenge, and one in Ojoo. Is that the type of person you want to come back to rule Oyo State again? He has not built one housing estate since he took over. What can he say he has done for the people of Oyo State to deserve a second term? Nothing.”
Adegoke claimed further that the other player had spent about 12 years at the National Assembly, with 4 years as a Senate Leader, but cannot be said to have done any good thing for the people of Oyo State, saying that means he is more interested in his pocket than the people of the state.
He asserted: “How can you now say you want that kind of person to be your governor? His case in terms of thuggery is different, he is a thug himself. The other one breeds thugs while this one is a thug. He doesn’t have what it takes, that is why he cannot rule this state.”
However, Adegoke affirmed that the Accord governorship candidate, Bayo Adelabu, would change things and make judicious use of resources to benefit the people of Oyo State, saying he would prioritise: electricity, to attract investors into the state; education, so the state’s ranking would improve and the students would be able to compete favourably with their counterparts in other states and other countries.
On security, he said Adelabu would improve on the security infrastructure and ensure that CCTV cameras work, take care of the welfare of security agents and train them on the use of modern equipment bought for them.
On agriculture, establish farm cities, support farmers, teach and support youth on modern agriculture and also teach them how to recycle and turn waste into wealth.
The BACO DG also revealed that the party was ready to work with like minds and other parties to take over power from the incumbent and show people how to run government and that there were still people in Oyo State that have their interest at heart.
Dominica Nwabufo
