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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo, are engaged in another verbal war over the N10 billion infrastructure loan requested by Governor Seyi Makinde to improve infrastructure in the state.
The fresh war of words came barely a week after the two political parties traded tackles over the public declaration of assets by the governor, with APC asking Makinde to disclose the source of his over N48 billion assets, and PDP saying APC is shameless because none of the officers of the party did what Makinde did between May 29, 2011 and May 28, 2018 that APC administered the state.
The latest controversy came as the House of Assembly, on Tuesday approved the N10 billion loan request made by the governor. The loan is to be obtained from First Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa and Unity Bank Plc.
Speaker of the House, Adebo Ogundoyin, while approving the loan, said: “We cannot keep complaining about the financial mess we have found ourselves in. Governance is continual and we just have to take responsibility and move on.
“While we are working on improving our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through restoring the Oyo State-owned industries, property, we have to look at other means where we can get needed resources to complete ongoing projects and improve our infrastructure.”
In a swift reaction, APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Abdulazeez Olatunde, said: “The requested loan is an anticipatory looting, and that is exactly what is playing out now for the state House of Assembly to have approved it.
“Makinde has accused his predecessor, Abiola Ajimobi that he spent eight years in office, and having a loan of N150 billion as a debt after leaving as the governor, which we did not agree on. But now, in less than two months of Governor Makinde in office as the governor, he has requested for N10 billion loan.
“Imagine how many billions he will still borrow before the expiration of his four years tenure in office? We raised objection when the governor declared his N48 billion asset, but the PDP said we were crying foul. So, we told the world that we are still waiting for the Code of Conduct Bureau to confirm the assets.”
But Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, in a chat with journalists in Ibadan, yesterday, described the governor’s N10 billion infrastructure loan request as a clear evidence of the rundowns infrastructure that Makinde met on ground when his administration was inaugurated on May 29.
