A Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship aspirant in Oyo State and former deputy governor of the state, Barr. Hazeem Gbolarunmi, on Tuesday said Governor Seyi Makinde has failed his party and residents of the state.
Gbolarumi stated this on Tuesday while addressing a press conference in Ibadan.
He said PDP was established 24 years ago with the primary aim of providing good governance that ensures probity and participatory democracy, which guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms of all person resident within the state. He, however, noted these aims “has not been fulfilled,” under the Makinde administration, “despite all proposed interventions by stakeholders of the party.”
“Some of the expected achievements from the Governor, by members and elders of the Oyo State PDP that worked assiduously for him to be elected on the party’s platform, he has grossly disappointed them, particularly on economy, insecurity, education, agriculture, healthcare, rule of law, the entrenchment of democracy, etc.
Engr. Seyi Makinde never wanted to relate to the PDP platforms for deliberations and suggestions on how to move Oyo State, forward. He, rather, decided to run the state and party singularly, particularly to discredit the party and well-meaning people that offered their unreserved supports and labour,” Gbolarumi said.
The former deputy governor stated that the series of economic scandals linked with the governor are also disturbing, especially in the face of the poor state of the state’s economy.
“The most disturbing political and social problems in Nigeria anchor on poverty and low access to economic opportunities, which ultimately affect improvement in the well-being of the people. In that wise, therefore, it is highly embarrassing to the Oyo State branch of the party that amid abject poverty, a series of economic scandals have been attributed to the governor and state government, and which are yet to be logically cleared.
“Whatever economic policy that the governor has been making use of in his administration, such has not focused on creating a market-based economy driven by small and medium scale businesses: made accessible to the people, the basic needs of life nor aided him in pursuit of a strong. virile, and diversified economy that is built on stopping or reducing rural-urban migration, due to investments in modern agricultural facilities, methods, and training. Meanwhile, the Governor’s excessive borrowings keep getting huge, and all of these are contrary to the major vision of supporting his candidature in the first place,” he said
The governorship hopeful also decried the continuous attacks on members and elders of the party at events venues and their residences, which he said have made them quite unsafe in the state.
He lamented that contrary to PDP ideal, the governor has re-introduced past mistakes, which he described as politics of winners and losers, as well as politics of exclusion, cash, and carry. He said this has mede members to decamp to other political parties, including those who have been PDP members since inception.
Gbolarunmi, however, said that the process of reconciling all the forces alienated by recent political events in the state has commenced.
” We are trying to heal divisions and destruction of our harmony caused by the recent ruthless imposition of power in the Oyo State PDP. National is, therefore, enjoined to ensure that the party does not lose to another party, due to the present situation of things, as elimination of grassroots support is completely threatened. PDP was founded in 1998 (24 years ago), so, sense of history and its lessons are left to conclude our story,” he added.
Speaking on his chances of defeating Makinde at the party’s primaries, Gbolarunmi maintained that he has God on his side, adding that he is not scared of power of incumbency.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director-General of the Hazeem Gbolarumi Campaign Organization, Mukaila Aborode, said that supporters of the PDP chieftain are confident of defeating the governor during the party’s primaries.
Aborode, a former Commissioner for Emvironment in the state, said: “Our mission is simple; It is for a better Oyo State. A state with confidence in its people and future. It was not a mistake to have christened Oyo the pacesetter. The force of change outside Oyo State is an indication that there is a need for change here. It is all about renewal of Oyo State. The situation in Oyo State today is not the best, which is why people are clamouring for a change in baton.”
