Oyo APC Protests Against Makinde’s N300bn Loan Request, Accuses PDP Govt Of Intimidation
The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, the state capital, over alleged intimidation of its members by the state House of Assembly and the controversial N300bn loan request by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration.
The protesters, who converged on the party’s state secretariat at Oke-Ado, marched through Dugbe, Queen’s Cinema and Adamasingba, before terminating the rally at Mokola roundabout.
Addressing party supporters, the state APC chairman, Olayide Abas, warned the Peoples Democratic Party-led government against mortgaging the lives of residents with what he described as a rising and unsustainable debt profile.
He said, “The assessment of a N300bn loan is an attempt to further plunge the state into financial crisis. The state has been enjoying an increase in the monthly allocation from the Federation Account since the advent of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.”
The protest followed criticisms by an APC lawmaker in the state House of Assembly, Ibraheem Shittu, representing Saki West, who faulted the approval of the loan by what he claimed was less than a two-thirds majority of the House.
Shittu insisted that he was not informed about the sitting where the loan was approved, alleging that the exercise was conducted in secrecy.
However, in a swift reaction, the House of Assembly dismissed Shittu’s claim, describing him as an absentee lawmaker.
The statement, jointly signed by the Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin, and the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Media, Public Affairs and ICT, Waheed Akintayo, faulted the position of the APC legislator, stressing that due process was followed in approving the facility.
Meanwhile, the APC maintained that the government had no justification for obtaining the loan, accusing the PDP administration of mismanaging state resources and using intimidation to silence opposition voices.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
