Oyo Governor Asserts Control Over Political Goals, Focuses On Development

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has affirmed his capability to pursue his political goals independently, stating that no one will push an agenda on his behalf.

Addressing members of the PDP Press Corps at their maiden retreat in the state, Governor Makinde dismissed speculations about his presidential ambitions, emphasising that his current focus is on transforming Oyo State into a hub for socio-economic growth.

“No comment; nothing. But all I can say to you is, I’m old enough, if I want to do something, I will come out and say, this is what I want to do. So, no speculation, nobody can push my agenda. I will push my agenda when the time comes,” he stated.

The governor who was obviously referencing online news reports of his presidential ambition was emphatic that, of great importance right now is his desire to transform the pacesetter state, as Oyo is called, into hub of socio-economic growth in all facets of life.

Making urged Nigerians not to allow the country slide into a one-party state because if it happens then democracy will be threatened to its foundation and that his comments are not because “somebody has a presidential ambition.”

Projects

On projects he has done he said “I’m glad that you’ve been able to go to a few of our project sites. Where you are right now is Fashola agribusiness hub. It is a farm estate. This is supposed to be the middle of nowhere. It was an idea conceptualised during, Chief Awolowo time as a premier of western region. Here they were breeding cattle, the mother cattle, the breeders that you would now take somewhere else to breed and sell and eat, But Nigeria happened to this place, they ate the breeder and the mothers. They ate everything.

“Now we’re trying to provide this. Where you are is space is for agro-tourism. Less than 500 meters from here, you have a building in there. We met the fires from the 1950s saying this cattle, this bridge, this was done, that was done. They’re still there. So, we’re refurbishing all of that so that we can tell our story”.

Makinde went down memory lane about a country that set the peace in agricultural and infrastructure development to be reduced to stagnation.

“That, once upon a time, there was a country that built Cocoa House from efforts like this. It was the first skyscraper south of Sahara. If you go to Dugbe today, after that first one, we’ve not been able to build a second one. If you go to Israel, Tel Aviv, I saw their first skyscraper. It was built six years after Cocoa House, but, if you go around Tel Aviv today, they have almost 2,000 other skyscrapers in there. And we have not even built a second one. So, it’s just an opportunity to show you that a long time ago, thinkers passed through this place they did certain things and for us, we want to bring some of these things back and see how we can utilize it to make life a little better for our people”.

Road Construction

The state government is expanding the School of Agricultural, and College of Natural Resources of  LAUTEC campus in Iseyin.

Makinde said the road was a federal road which took the administration two years to secure the federal government’s approval.

“The road is 34 kilometers. It’s a major link between one zone of the state, Oyo Zone, linking Okeogun Zone. We have five geopolitical zones in Oyo State. We have Ibadan Zone, we have Oyo Zone, Oke Ogun zone, Ibarapa zone, Ogbomoso zone. So, this is a major link between Oyo Zone, linking Okeogun Zone, and it is also passing through a major agro industrial zone. So, I said to them, we don’t care about whether it’s a federal road, it’s a state road, it’s a local government road, all we want is, we want to expand our economy and we also want our people to pass on a smooth road. Whether federal government will fix it or state government or local government, just fix the road,” he explained.

Agriculture

On agriculture development, Makinde said not less than 20 trucks carrying cassava pass through the Gate House on a daily basis.

He says, “If you have gone a little further than the school, you will have sent the cassava to servitor service. They are expanding and we are not waiting for federal government. We know that how to fix this country is to be productive. It is not about federal allocation. It is not about us going cap in hand every four weeks to Abuja to say, give us money. No. We want to be productive. The people that started this whole thing, they never went anywhere. They were generating their own resources here. And we have enough.”

Legacy

Speaking further he said “I will say it we want to be remembered, not for roads. We built the airport. We built the local government, or we constructed roads. We want to be remembered for the institutions that we’re trying to build such that good governance will be guaranteed in Oyo State, irrespective of who is coming in. And we are succeeding”.

Regional Security

On the regional security outfit set up by the six states of the southwest, Makinde said they are reinvigorating the body for greater security and service delivery.

The Governor says, “On Monday, they will graduate the forest rangers so that bandits will never have any foothold in our state. Amotekun wasn’t in existence before we came”.

Corruption

On fighting corruption, “we also set up our own anti-corruption agency. We set up our rule of law enforcement authority. Because even when you get to Abuja airport and you’re driving to town, on the main road, Yar’Adua express, not on the feeder road, but on the main express, you will see people driving against traffic. If you’re a foreigner, you’ll say, oh, you want to promote tourism and things like that. Some people will freak out. Just seeing that on a major highway, traffic driving against you. We think in our state, we will stamp it out. It’s a national menace, but we will stamp it out”.

Governor Seyi Makinde changed members of the PDP Press Corps to use their positions to report and shape opinions because “That is what journalism is all about. You will keep us in check”.

 

Confidence Okwuchi