By Richard Thomas, Ibadan
The Youth Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State and South-West Nigeria, Mogaji Isiak Areokuta has charged the governor of the state Engr. Seyi Makinde to improve the tempo of development in the state rather than celebrating party victory.
Mogaji Areokuta gave the charge in a chat with newsmen in Ibadan while assessing the activities of governor Makinde since he assumed office a year ago.
According to him, governor Makinde should focus on how he would develop the state and put smiles on the faces of the people, saying this is not the time to celebrate party victory.
He said, “APC will always remain the most popular and populous party in Nigeria and in Oyo State due to its antecedents and achievements.
“During Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s tenure, there were physical structures and development projects across the state.
“He ruled according to the dictates of governance and yearnings of the people.
“APC has also done 90per cent of giving palliatives since COVID-19 Pandemic broke out, and when APC was in power, there was no other political party in the state. We may not be in government yet we are popular than PDP.”
Mogaji Areokuta who expressed dissatisfaction on the security programme of governor Makinde in the state said the security sector is a huge failure as the issue of security is growing worse by the day, compared to the past administration led by Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
“People keep saying that Engr. Seyi Makinde is paying salaries of workers, which is not dividends of democracy. The state governor is only paying for their services. That should not be seen as a priority.
“Former governor Ajimobi paid 13-month salary to workers and had a lot of visible projects and infrastructures he commissioned.
“Under a year of Engr. Seyi Makinde government, people have started castigating him for not achieving any meaningful or physical projects in the state.”
The APC youth Leader also described the APC as a unity party that has no faction adding that where ever there is faction the dividends of the party members is at stake.
“Despite the fact that APC lost at the state election doesn’t mean that the party is not in order, the party won nine House Representatives Seats and Two senatorial seats which is an overwhelming victory. ”
Speaking on the activities of Ex- Communication Minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Mogaji Areokuta said he has defiled his membership for involving himself in anti-party activities.
“Barrister Shittu is no longer a card carrying member of APC because of his anti-party activities. As a card-carrying member of a party, you would not go into alliance with another party to win an election against your party.
” It is not the calibre of Barrister Shittu that should have committed such a deficit blunder, he was among the party members that formulated APC through a merger. And according to the constitution, before he could come back to the party and be trusted as an APC card-carrying member, he will need to come out open and tell reasons for his anti-party activities. ”
He advised members of the APC to be calm and return to their progressive spirit of working hand in glove as if tomorrow is the next election.
