Gubernatorial candidate of Action Alliance in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections, Comrade Sikiru Titilola-Sodo has declared that the current administration led by Engineer Seyi Makinde has rendered local government system ineffective in the State.
Titilola-Sodo maintained that the decision made by Makinde to render local government system ineffective is responsible for the poor condition of local government system in the State.
He made these declarations while addressing journalists at a guest platform organised by Correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Oyo State council on Monday.
Titilola-Sodo while addressing the journalists, also revealed that the governor has abandoned Ibarapa geopolitical zone at detriment of other zones.
The former Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in the State, explained that Makinde made Ibarapa geopolitical zone an isolated area because all the resources to be used for the area was used to renovate Ibadan Airport.
Titilola-Sodo while speaking, noted that workers in the State are not getting the expected salaries and emoluments.
While speaking on the way out, Titilola-Sodo explained that he will prioritise local government autonomy so as to improve the security situation in the State and improve the living condition of the people in the State.
“He has abandoned Ibarapa zone. He made the zone an isolated area. The resources of the State should be used to developed all zones. Yes, Ibadan needs to be pampered. It is for the whole of South West. But, we need to take care of other zones. All I know is that there is no good road to Ibarapa geopolitical zone.
“The resources we supposed to use for Ibarapa zone was used for renovation of Ibadan Airport. The airport belongs to FAAN. It is a misplaced priority. The airport is not what we need now. We are saying that there is a plenty of rooms for improvement. When we talk about the security, the government has done well, but we still need to improve on it.
“If Oyo State is lucky to have us, the security will improve. Another thing that makes the situation of security of the State to be like that is that the local government system is not working. I believe that JAC meeting has not been held in Oyo State in the last seven years. There was a time when local government used to award contracts. Go to any local government, nothing is working there. They cannot renovate their secretariats.
“All the functions of the local government have been taken from them by the State government. The law does not say that the state should take over functions of the local government.
“I am in support of local government autonomy. If we allow local government to work, insecurity will reduce. There will be economic activities for the people. There will be revival of technical education in Oyo State now.
“Farmers have been neglected, we will empower them. We will encourage the farmers in each zone. My Oga not being accessible. I strongly disagreed in the choice of his successor.
“The outgoing government has done well. But, there are some areas that need improvement. We must commend him for taking care of workers and the pensioners. But, things have improved tremendously. But, there are still plenty of rooms for improvement.
“Oyo government is still owing hundreds of workers several outstanding emoluments. We need to run the schools as it should be. Not even a PS has running cost in their ministries. We will have classrooms that will last for 40 years.
The Action Alliance Chairman in the State, Abiodun James while speaking said that the party remains the party to beat in 2027.
He said, “We don’t have the money to spend like other political parties. Our own logo is different, everything about us is different. Le the masses live. This is a party that thinks about the masses. We don’t vote for candidates who are in millons or billions don’t look at the people at the ground”.