Oyo govt accuses FG of intentionally excluding Makinde from federal road project launch

The Oyo State Government has leveled accusations against the federal government, alleging the deliberate exclusion of Governor Seyi Makinde from the launch of the reconstruction and dualization of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road. The state government characterized the governor's absence from the Monday ceremony as politically motivated, suggesting it is tied to Makinde's potential challenge to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Dotun Oyelade, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, stated that the decision to exclude Governor Makinde, the presidential candidate for the Allied People’s Movement, cannot be separated from the emerging political contest. He emphasized the road project's significance to the state and the wider South-West region, lamenting its reduction to a political event. The launch was attended by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Minister of Works Dave Umahi, and local traditional rulers.

Oyelade dismissed the explanation that Makinde was on leave, arguing that the state, with an acting governor, could have been represented if an invitation had been extended. He labeled the event a "political jamboree" and asserted that the Makinde administration would remain focused on governance. The controversy has shifted focus from the crucial infrastructure project, which aims to improve connectivity between Oyo and Ogun states, to the escalating political rivalry ahead of the 2027 elections. While the Oyo government cited political undertones, it did not provide independent evidence of a specific order for the exclusion.

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The course of 2027 is set, and no level of indecorum or desperation from whatever quarters will hold back the will of the people