Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has come under fresh criticism from the campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Senator Sharafadeen Alli.
The Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation accused Makinde of failing to address hunger and other economic challenges in Oyo State despite increased allocations from the Federation Account.
The group described the governor as “clueless” and “an embarrassment” to the people of Oyo State.
The latest criticism followed remarks made by Makinde at an APM North-Central zonal town hall meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he acknowledged that states, including Oyo, were receiving more money from the Federation Account.
Makinde, however, questioned whether the increase in revenue had translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.
“Yes, the quantum of the money, yes, we have more money, but has it translated to fighting hunger in our society? The answer is no,” the governor said.
He also spoke about Oyo State’s dependence on federal allocations since he assumed office in 2019.
According to Makinde, the state’s dependence on federal allocation had reduced from more than 80 per cent when he became governor to about 65 per cent in 2022, before rising again to almost 80 per cent.
The governor attributed the reversal to the economic policies of the Federal Government, which he described as “voodoo economics.”
His comments have now triggered a response from the APC campaign organisation of Senator Alli.
In a statement issued in Ibadan on Tuesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, the campaign said Makinde’s admission that Oyo was receiving more money from the Federation Account raised questions about the use of the additional revenue.
The organisation argued that the increased allocation was linked to the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and that state governments had the responsibility of deploying the funds to improve the welfare of residents.
The campaign organisation said, “for failing to address hunger in Oyo State despite increased funds from the Federation Account, Makinde has shown that he is more than clueless”.
It further questioned why the governor would expect assistance from the Federal Government to tackle hunger in Oyo State after acknowledging that the state had been receiving increased monthly allocations.
“If you have acknowledged that, monthly, you have been getting more money from the Federation Account, who are you expecting to come and help you to fight hunger in your state? Is it President Tinubu?”
The group also brought the issue of local government administration into the argument.
It accused Makinde of frustrating the autonomy of the 33 local government areas in the state.
According to the campaign organisation, the governor has opposed local government autonomy because of what it described as his desire to continue controlling state and council funds.
“Most importantly, this same Governor Makinde has deliberately refused to allow local governments in Oyo State to function. He has criminally been everywhere, opposing local government autonomy to continue to spend both the state and local council funds,” the statement said.
The allegation comes days after the Alli campaign organisation made a similar claim about the administration of local governments in Oyo State.
The state government rejected that accusation and challenged the APC campaign to provide evidence for its claim.
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the allegation that local governments had been paralysed was contradicted by projects being executed across the state.
Oyelade listed roads, bridges, drainage systems, markets, electricity projects, water schemes, schools, public buildings and security infrastructure among projects being handled by local governments and Local Council Development Areas.
He also challenged the Alli campaign organisation to identify the local government areas it considered paralysed and provide details of functions that had allegedly stopped.
