The Ogun State Government, on Friday, condemned the scathing criticism of Gov Dapo Abiodun’s administration by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party
The government stated that the opposition party has chosen to be blind to good things being done by the All Progressives Congress governments both at the state and federal levels.
It stated that the PDP is only trying to bring itself back into reckoning through the back door after being firmly rejected by the electorate following years of underperformance, corruption and violence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade.
Recall that the PDP in a statement issued by its chairman, Abayomi Tella, on Thursday to celebrate Democracy Day, had upbraided the government of Abiodun for allegedly failing to entrench good governance in the state.
The PDP accused Abiodun’s government of incompetence, nepotism and lack of transparency in the running of the affairs of the state.
The party had described the governor’s six years in office as uneventful and largely a disservice to the people of the state.
The state government, however, wondered how an administration widely acknowledged as turning the state into a giant construction site and Nigeria’s top investment destination could be said to be underperforming.
The statement noted that if the PDP cannot see the Gateway International Airport and the over 1,200 kilometres of road spread across the state, it may be due to self-induced amnesia.
“PDP’s recent statement accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun administration of sundry concocted crimes, including alleged lack of transparency, lopsided execution of infrastructure and neglect of hospitals and schools, is confounding, to say the least, because even the devil would grin with envy reading such barefaced lies that call the sanity of its authors into question.
“Having become a carcass in Ogun and nationwide, the PDP goons can be forgiven for being blind to good things, and desperately trying to give themselves undue relevance on the pages of newspapers,” the statement read.
Akinmade listed investment portfolios attracted by Abiodun including the April 2022 $400m investment by Arise Integrated Industrial Platform, on the development of Olokola Free Trade Zone and Remo Agro Processing Zone; the over $500m investment by a steel conglomerate, African Industries Group as well as the $500 million investment by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency to enhance power infrastructure in Ogun State.
The other achievements stated are the $300 million investment by the Chinese company, Inner Galaxy Steel Company Ltd, to establish a new steel plant for the production of specialised steel products in Ogun State, and the October 2024 establishment of a $5 million battery recycling plant by a British company to mention but few
On roads, Akinmade listed, Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway; Obantoko Road; Idi-Aba-Elite-Oke Lantoro; Ikoritameje-Adenrele; Panseke-Adigbe; City Gate Monument Development Flyover Bridge, Kuto; Arepo road, Somorin-Kemta-IdiAba; OlusegunOsoba-Toyin Agbado, Yakoyo Bridge to Mr. Biggs section along Akute and Owode-Siun roads.
Other road projects stated include, Oru-Awa-Ilaporu-Ibadan Expressway; Molipa-Asafa Isale-Ayegu-Ojofa; Asafa Oke-Fusigboye-Ojofa Street; Oba Erinwole Road, Sagamu; Awujale Road, Ejinrin-Idowa-Awa-Ibefun-Itoikin; Ijebu Ode-Epe-Sagamu-Benin Interchange Flyover Bridge; Esure-Ijebu Mushin Road; Ogbagba Street, Ijebu Ode; Molusi College Road, Ijebu Igbo, among others.
He added that the PDP, whose deputy governorship candidate in 2023, Abiodun Akinlade, recently joined the APC, can say whatever it wants, but the Abiodun administration’s strides in roads, investment, housing and education cannot be ignored by decent people.
Akinmade said that Ogun indigenes excel in all spheres, adding that even in the area of sports, the recently concluded National Sports Festival held in Ogun State, at which the state’s contingent came second, was adjudged the best ever, and has become an international benchmark.
“Governor Abiodun, a leader recognised by Forbes Magazine in 2022 as the Best of Africa Governor in Industrial Revolution, is a compassionate leader par excellence.
“Does the PDP want to condemn the N50 million Ijebu Development Initiative for Poverty Reduction (Eriwe) introduced to develop the fish subsector and the empowerment of over 40,000 agripreneurs in cassava cultivation, the 20,000-hectare rice farmland in Yewa; the Ogun State Teaching Experience Acquisition Channel (Ogun TREACH) that brought on board 5000 interns, with 1000 transitioned to permanent teachers?
“What about the over N3.5 billion disbursed through EDUCASH to assist students and their parents, with 150, 000 students benefitting the full accreditation secured for the first time in 45 years and the upgrade of the Ogun State Schools of Nursing and Midwifery to collegiate status; the inaugurated Sexual Therapy and Assaults Referral Centre in OOUTH), among others?,” Akinmade said.
