JONATHAN'S VISIT: AKALA TO PRESENT FAKE PROJECTS –AC

By NBF News

Adebayo Alao-Akala
The Oyo State branch of the Action Congress has accused the state Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, of a plan to present fake projects for inauguration during President Goodluck Jonathan's visit on Thursday.

The party, which said this in a statement by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Mr. Wasiu Olatubosun, on Monday, explained that the plan was aimed at winning Jonathan's support for the governor' second term ambition.

But in a swift reaction, the governor through his Special Adviser on Public Communication, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the AC's statement as a 'kindergarten comment,' adding that the party had derailed.

The AC statement reads, 'Reports available to the AC indicate that Governor Alao-Akala, in his desperate bid to win President Jonathan's sympathy for a second term, in office, has lined up some fake and fictitious projects for inauguration by Mr. President.

'These include the uncompleted Orita Challenge-Odo-Ona-Apata Road in Ibadan and the Hospital Complex in Ogbomoso where a whopping N24bn has been spent on erecting structures alone as nobody is sure of how much billions will be spent to equip it.

'The same governor has ordered emergency patching of some roads within Ibadan metropolis. The roads, which were recently inaugurated, are now in a deplorable state.

'A good example is the Ijokodo-Apete Road which Akala constructed during his illegal 11-month rule. Akala has approved a sum of N55m for its repair now. This development lends credence to the unending stories of multifarious corruption cases hanging on the neck of the current administration in the state.'

The party urged the President to investigate every project he would be made 'to stamp his name on in Oyo State if only to protect his good name and safeguard the integrity of his administration as it concerns the war against corruption.'

But Akala said that for the AC to insinuate that the President was coming to the state to inaugurate uncompleted was enough proof that the party had derailed.

A text message sent to our correspondent by Oyelade on behalf of the governor reads, 'AC must have finally derailed even to insinuate that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is coming to Oyo State to commission uncompleted projects.

'Akala has more than a dozen projects waiting to be inaugurated all over the state. We realise the political distress that the President's visit may have caused the AC but that is no excuse for this kindergarten comment.'

The President, during the visits, is expected to inaugurate some projects before joining the governor in a church service to commemorate his birthday. He is also expected to attend the birthday reception before returning to Abuja.