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From Seye Ojo, Ibadan
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the N5.5 billion reportedly spent by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde on the reconstruction and upgrading of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, after the facility was rejected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as unsuitable to host continental matches.
The opposition party said the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the award and execution of the stadium reconstruction project, determine how the funds were spent and identify those responsible for any alleged infractions.
The demand followed CAF’s classification of the stadium as unsuitable to host the matches of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), which qualified for continental competition for the first time in 28 years.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the Oyo APC described the development as another indication of what it called the Makinde administration’s alleged penchant for executing substandard projects at inflated costs.
The party said it was particularly embarrassing that Shooting Stars, having secured a return to continental football after nearly three decades, would be forced to seek a home venue outside Oyo State because the state’s major sporting facility failed to meet CAF requirements.
“Shooting Stars, who secured qualification for continental football after about 28 years, have reportedly chosen Abeokuta as their home venue for the CAF Confederation Cup campaign after the Lekan Salami Stadium was disqualified to host the matches because the current condition of the facility did not reflect a good fraction of N5.5 billion purportedly spent on the renovation of the facility by Governor Makinde,” the party said.
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The APC urged the governor to explain the circumstances surrounding the stadium’s failure to obtain CAF approval and provide details of the funds committed to its renovation and upgrading.
It also called on the state government to urgently address the deficiencies identified at the facility and ensure that the stadium meets international standards for future continental competitions.
The party linked the stadium controversy to another recent incident involving infrastructure in the state, alleging that part of a road project commissioned by the governor at Bodija Market was washed away by erosion days after its commissioning.
According to the APC, the incidents raised concerns about the quality and value for money of infrastructure projects undertaken by the state government.
The party said the failure of the Lekan Salami Stadium to secure CAF approval was not only a setback for Shooting Stars but also a missed opportunity for Oyo State to showcase its sporting infrastructure to an international audience.
It therefore urged the EFCC and other relevant agencies to independently examine the project and “unmask the brains behind the alleged fraud” if wrongdoing was established, insisting that anyone found culpable should be made to face the law.
