The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, has criticized Seyi Makinde, the state's governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). The group accused Makinde of failing to address hunger and economic challenges in Oyo State despite increased allocations from the Federation Account.
Makinde recently acknowledged that states, including Oyo, were receiving more money from the Federation Account at an APM North-Central zonal town hall meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State. However, he questioned whether the increase in revenue had translated into better living conditions for Nigerians. Makinde stated that the answer was no, highlighting the persistence of hunger in society.
The governor also discussed Oyo State's dependence on federal allocations since he assumed office in 2019. According to Makinde, the state's dependence on federal allocation had reduced from more than 80 per cent to about 65 per cent in 2022, before rising again to almost 80 per cent. He attributed the reversal to the economic policies of the Federal Government, which he described as "voodoo economics."
The Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation responded to Makinde's comments, questioning the use of the additional revenue from the Federation Account. The organisation argued that the increased allocation was linked to President Bola Tinubu's administration's economic reforms and that state governments had the responsibility of deploying the funds to improve residents' welfare.
The campaign organisation described Makinde as "clueless" and "an embarrassment" to the people of Oyo State, citing his failure to address hunger despite increased funds. They also questioned why Makinde would expect assistance from the Federal Government to tackle hunger in Oyo State after acknowledging the increased monthly allocations.
Furthermore, the Alli campaign organisation accused Makinde of frustrating the autonomy of the 33 local government areas in Oyo State. According to the group, the governor has opposed local government autonomy to continue controlling state and council funds. The state government has rejected this accusation, challenging the APC campaign to provide evidence.
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, countered the allegations, listing various projects being executed across the state by local governments and Local Council Development Areas. The commissioner challenged the Alli campaign organisation to identify the local government areas it considered paralysed and provide details of functions that had allegedly stopped.
Key points
- The APC campaign organisation criticized Makinde for failing to address hunger in Oyo State despite increased allocations from the Federation Account.
- Makinde attributed the state's increased dependence on federal allocations to the Federal Government's economic policies, which he described as "voodoo economics."
- The Alli campaign organisation accused Makinde of frustrating local government autonomy in Oyo State to maintain control over state and council funds.
