Better Oyo Movement, a formidable sociopolitical group in the state, concerned with the all-round development of Oyo State, has informed the governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, to completely forget garnering meaningful votes in the Ibarapa Zone, as punishment for his deliberate neglect of the zone, four years since being elected governor.
BOM, whose release was issued in Eruwa, headquarters of Ibarapa East Local Government, on Saturday, 8 October, 2022, after its monthly meeting, maintained it was indeed pathetic for Governor Makinde to now attempt warming up to the Ibarapa people, having deliberately sidelined them in the provision of amenities and developmental projects, despite the huge support he enjoyed from them in the 2019 polls.
The group, whose release was signed by Dr. Femi Fakunle and Engr. Tunji Hammed, Chairman and Secretary respectively, wondered why it took Governor Makinde so long, to even remember the Ibarapa Zone, despite the hues, cries and lamentations of the people, since 2019, maintaining the governor’s neglect is a sign of his underrating the prominence of the seven towns that make up the zone.
“We received with disgust, Governor Makinde’s newfound attempt at wooing the good people of Ibarapaland to his corner, almost four years since deliberately neglecting them.
“His announcement of commencing developmental projects in the zone, first during the seminar held in Ibadan for candidates of his party, and secondly during the twins festival held in Igboora, as well as the notice served the people he would be returning to the zone to kickstart his campaign, is the height of disservice and utter disrespect, to a people who stood by him, and his party, even when their chances looked abysmal. The governor is encouraged to recall that Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin (now Speaker), won a rerun in 2018 as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aftermath the unfortunate death of then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Michael Adeyemo. The good people of Ibarapaland, particularly those in Ibarapa East voted the PDP despite threats and inducements from the then ruling party.
“In 2019, our people repeated that incredible feat by voting massively for the PDP; a result advertised in the party’s victory in the two House of Representatives seat; Senatorial seat, Governorship seat, and even Presidential Seat.
“But since assumption of office, what have we got in return? Complete annihilation from a party we worked for, with the last drop of our blood.
“Not only are our roads terrible, our hospitals in poor conditions, our primary and secondary schools in bad shape, in fact, the two tertiary institutions in our zone have suffered unimaginable neglect; a case in point being the nonrelease, till date of the sum of One Hundred Million Naira Intervention Fund and Thirty Six Million Naira 2022 Capital Grant promised the College of Education in Lanlate during the governor’s visit in February, as well as the nonrepair of the College’s only bridge in its permanent site, despite its on-the-spot assessment by the governor, the speaker and even the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, whose visit preceded the governor’s.
“To make matters worse, as we speak, only the tertiary institutions in Ibarapaland; College of Education, Lanlate and College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, are yet to receive September salaries, with members of staff unsure of when next the pay would be received. To them, today is September 38th!
“We, therefore, inform Mr. Governor, unequivocally, that if he likes, he can relocate the seat of power from Agodi to Igboora, Eruwa or Igangan, truth is, our people are already fed up, and will punish him in 2023 by rejecting him, and his party,” the release said.
Calling on the long-suffering people of Ibarapaland not to be wearied, BOM admonished them to remain undaunted in their resolve to punish Governor Makinde’s deliberate anihiliation with their votes in 2023, to serve as a deterrent to other would-be governors that neglecting their zone is indeed punishable with dire consequences.
