The Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress Youth League (APCYL) has issued a strong warning to Governor Seyi Makinde over the recent approval of ₦63.4 billion for the renovation of the Oyo State Government House. The League considers this move a gross misplacement of priorities, especially at a time when the people of the state are grappling with severe economic hardship and critical infrastructural decay.
In a statement, Engr. Ayobami Dagilogba State Coordinator, APC Youth League, Oyo State Chapter and Hon. Akanni Muhammed State Publicity Secretary, APC Youth League, Oyo State Chapter described the decision as insensitive and outrageous, noting that the amount represents more than a year’s worth of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). “It is deeply troubling that in the face of widespread suffering and pressing developmental needs across Oyo State, the governor is allocating such an astronomical sum to renovate his official residence,” the statement read.
The League condemned the approval as not only a wasteful expenditure but also an act that suggests an attempt to divert public funds for personal gain under the guise of renovation. “This is not governance; it is daylight exploitation,” the League added.
The APCYL highlighted several urgent challenges currently plaguing the state:
Many primary healthcare centres lack basic equipment and medical personnel, Numerous public primary and secondary schools are in deplorable conditions and need immediate rehabilitation, Roads across local governments have deteriorated into death traps, especially in rural areas where access to cities is almost impossible due to the poor state of connecting roads, Youth unemployment remains rampant, with little to no sustainable empowerment programs initiated by the current administration.
Yet, instead of addressing these essential needs, the government is choosing to prioritize a cosmetic facelift of the Government House at the expense of the people’s welfare.
The APC Youth League is calling on all well-meaning stakeholders in Oyo State, across Nigeria, and even in the diaspora to speak up and resist this unkind and self-serving decision.
APCYL also condemned the continued sale of state-owned lands and the demolition of markets where ordinary citizens earn their daily bread. The newly built shops are often priced beyond the reach of average traders, further worsening the economic situation of residents.
We must not keep silent while our collective wealth is being mismanaged and diverted. Oyo State deserves better leadership that prioritizes the welfare of its people over luxury and ego, the statement concluded.
