Nigeria’s vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday lauded governor Seyi Makinde for his aggressive infrastructural development drive in Oyo state.
This was as the VP also expressed his satisfaction at the completion of the project and the privilege to commission the newly reconstructed Oyo state governor’s lodge in Asokoro, Abuja which he described as a worthy legacy for the state.
Prof Osinbajo, while congratulating Makinde over his reelection today during the official project commissioning disclosed that he and the governor have maintained cordial relationship on matters bothering on state affairs saying the new Oyo edifice reflects a possibility for a positive betterment for Oyo state.
“I’ll like to thank my dear brother and friend, Governor Seyi Makinde for the very kind invitation to be here to join you in commissioning the beautiful building behind me here, the oyo state Government lodge.
“Mr, governor, let me commend you for ensuring the completion of this building. But more importantly, I’ll also take this opportunity to congratulate you on the very many infrastructural project that you have undertaken in oyo state and that we have seen.
“I recall that I was in Ibadan just last week and I was taken around by the immediate past Secretary to the state government, Mrs Adeosun to an event where we were commissioning the new auditorium at the university of Ibadan and I saw even the giant leaps that you have made already in oyo state and I recall that you and I have spoken a number of times about the various things that you were doing in oyo state, many of which are not even included in the bronchure which we have on us now.
“So I’ll say well done indeed. This building joins a legacies of the continuous improvement in the lives of oyo state people and of course Nigeria and it shows greater possibilities for our collective betterment.
“Let me congratulate you on the fresh mandate also that the people of oyo state have given you and I pray that you will succeed marvelously in this Omituntun 2.0 beginning on Monday 29 of May in Jesus name
God bless oyo state, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Prof Osinbajo said.
Earlier in his welcome address, governor Makinde expressed gratitude to the number citizen in Nigeria for honouring the invitation to commission the newly reconstructed Oyo state governor’s lodge in Abuja.
While describing the edifice as a beautiful project, Makinde said the new building is befitting the status of Oyo as a Pacessetter State which provides suitable accommodation for any liaisons at the FCT especially in the area of attracting more investments to the state in the next dispensation saying “From what I have seen so far, the project is well done and fit for purpose.
While eulogizing the vice president for his approach to state affairs regardless of the difference in political affiliation, Makinde said, “Well, he has shown himself as a man who does not care about partisan politics. As you know, His Excellency is of the APC while I am of the PDP but he did not allow this difference to affect him coming for this important occasion.
“Let me use this opportunity to convey the greetings of the good people of Oyo State to His Excellency, and thank him for his service to our dear country, Nigeria. I know the time is winding down but the mandate is still alive till the midnight of the 28th of May, 2023.
“Two questions most people have asked each time a conversation about this project comes up are why do we need an Oyo State Government Lodge in Abuja and why now? On the first question, Senator Buhari said that out of the whole lodges, he slept here. Maybe I should just take that as an answer. So, this is akin to why Nigeria needs an Embassy in countries where Nigeria has diplomatic relations.
“Abuja is the seat of government in Nigeria. Now and again, state visits Abuja to carry out governor’s activities that in Nigeria of today, most states are dependent on federal allocation and there is monthly FAAC meeting. But beyond that, there are other several visits by government officials and given the frequency of this visit, in the long run, having a government lodge in Abuja is more cost-effective.
“The second question is why now? Well, as the immediate past Commissioner for Works, Professor Sangodoyin mentioned, we did not wait until the FCTA demolished the structure that was standing here because it was dilapidated or for being a nuisance to the Asokoro landscape before we took definite action. The project had to be prioritised because the time had come.
“And what a beautiful project it is, befitting the status of Oyo as a Pacessetter State and providing suitable accommodation for any liaisons we will have to carry out in Abuja, especially in our drive to attract more investments to our dear state in the next four years. From what I have seen so far, the project is well done and fit for purpose.
“As I promised during my swearing-in, in 2019, I said our administration will build on programmes of past administrations that were structured properly and will be beneficial to the masses of Oyo State. We have run the affairs of governance by this mantra and this is why, for the past four years, one of the key features of infrastructural developments in Oyo State has been reviving moribund facilities.
“We did it Ijaiye, we revived the Pacesetter Quarry and Asphalt plant and handed it over to private investors. Today, the Plant is running and adding value to the benefit of the good people of Oyo State.
“So, we will continue to take decisions that will reduce our infrastructural deficit in Oyo State. Anywhere we find a structure from which we can extract some usefulness to the benefit of our people, we will do it. It is about 5 days to the end of this tenure and we have not stopped working.”
The event was well attended by top state and federal government functionaries including Oke-ogun born Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, newly elected, reelected state and national assembly members from Oyo state in both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
