The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized Governor Seyi Makinde for his condemnation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as fuel or petrol.
In a statement released through its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadare, the APC expressed disapproval of Makinde’s bold criticism towards Tinubu’s leadership, stating that the Governor lacks the authority to condemn such actions.
The APC highlighted that Governor Makinde is the only governor openly criticizing the current president for discontinuing the fuel subsidy, emphasizing that he did not criticize former President Muhammadu Buhari for similar actions.
Sadare, during his address, urged Governor Makinde to focus on addressing the challenges within the state rather than attributing blame to Tinubu for the country’s economic difficulties.
The statement reads: “Makinde has grown more wings in his penchant for misleading the public and sacrificing others for his ineptitude in government. Funny enough, the PDP-dominated State House of Assembly spoke in the same tone on the same day, and we understand the script being played by the governor.
“Gov. Makinde holds the record of the only governor in Nigeria who constantly blames the sitting President for his failure to add value in his state. Out of the 36 governors, the Oyo State helmsman was the only one who criticized President Bola Tinubu over the removal of fuel subsidy when he stated that the decision was untimely and not well thought out. This was what he did to former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2019 and 2023 as he distanced himself from Aso Villa on account of ego and thereby denied the Pacesetter state a lot of opportunities for four years.
“As he is wont to do, Makinde attempted to take advantage of the labour protest on Tuesday to heap all the blame for the bad economy in the country on the federal government, forgetting that governors like him were more culpable for the extent to which the quality of life has degenerated. Why blame President Tinubu for stopping wasteful spending on fuel subsidy when the decision has been enabling you to collect improved allocations in the last nine months, although without much to show for it?
“The Oyo State government has received over N207 billion in allocations from Abuja since May last year, and this excludes the billions of naira accrued to the 33 local government councils which the governor hijacked from them.
“Rather than use the whopping allocations to create wealth, Gov. Makinde mopped up more funds from loans, grants, IGR, and illegal sale of government assets without accountability. So, who then addresses hunger, poverty, and unemployment in Oyo State when the governor always engages in wasteful spending, capital flight, and misplaced priorities?” the statement added.
