• Says party seeking relevance after failing at national level
• Oyo Acting Governor inaugurates rule of law enforcement board
The Media Adviser to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, yesterday, berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state over its comments on the pulling out of 33 council chairmen from the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).
It would be recalled that Oyo council chairmen had pulled out of ALGON, and planned to form another association as the fallout of the local government autonomy verdict by the Supreme Court.
The governor’s aide, in a statement titled: “Oyo APC’s road to Syracuse,” said the major problem of APC members was that they have a scant understanding of the issue they are agonising about.
The statement reads in part: ”On Monday, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State chapter, clutching a piece of paper, literally ran unclad through the streets of Ibadan shouting “Eureka!
“When asked what they found, the APC members said they had discovered that Governor Seyi Makinde ‘is nursing the inordinate ambition to make Oyo State a separate republic from Nigeria with a view to making himself a demi-god that would be worshipped by all and sundry.”
“The party also accused the governor of wanting to manipulate the disbursement of council funds, adding that this might result in some chairmen ending in jail.
”That was meant to ignite the elected council bosses and the people against the governor but it fell flat because when the people heard what the APC had to say, they looked askance at them, hissed, moved away from the party and concentrated on their various businesses. They kept saying to one another how can anybody accuse Makinde of wanting to carve out another country from Nigeria? How does that make sense to anybody? People eventually stripped themselves naked in public glare.”
IN another development, Oyo State Acting governor, Bayo Lawal, yesterday, inaugurated a five-man governing board of the state’s Rule of Law Enforcement Authority headed by Justice Aderonke Aderemi (rtd).
The ceremony was held at the Executive Chamber, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Lawal said the inauguration was an indication of the commitment of the Makinde-led government towards upholding the rule of law that reflects dedication to the principles of justice, transparency and accountability.
He noted that effective law enforcement is not just about deterrence and punishment but about prevention, education and community partnership.
He added that the motive has eventuated the creation of Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development, (OMASED) which is saddled with public enlightenment.
The board members, including Justice Aderonke Aderemi (rtd), Abdulmojeed Mogbojubola, Prof. Dahud Shangodoyin, Olasunkanmi Olaleye and Major Adesagba Adekoya (rtd), were tasked on the development of the state.
Aderemi, who spoke with newsmen after the inauguration, said that the agency had been saddled with the responsibility of enforcing environmental laws, including traffic and environmental laws.
