Oyo guber: Adekanmbi pledges 100-day compensation settlement for Circular Road victims

…promises to retain 25th as salary payment date

…vows to fix internal roads, strengthen Ibadan airport

…pledges to revive Ikere Gorge Dam with FG

…challenges Alli to address allegations over council funds

…defends Makinde’s handling of Bodija explosion funds

The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, has promised to settle outstanding compensation claims by property owners affected by the construction of the Ibadan Circular Road within his first 100 days in office if elected governor in 2027.

Adekanmbi also pledged to retain the 25th of every month as the salary payment date for workers in the state, rehabilitate internal roads, strengthen the operations of the upgraded Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan and work with the Federal Government to revive the Ikere Gorge Dam.

The former commissioner under the administration of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi made the promises during an interview on Fresh FM, Ibadan, where he addressed infrastructure, workers’ welfare, land acquisition, local government autonomy and the management of public funds.

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On the Circular Road project, Adekanmbi said he had engaged residents whose properties were affected and appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to ensure that the outstanding compensation was paid in full.

“I have met with those affected by the Circular Road. I am the only candidate who has fully engaged them. I even visited the place with Governor Seyi Makinde,” he said.

According to him, compensation remains the major concern of affected property owners, adding that Makinde had assured him that the outstanding payments would be made.

“The compensation is huge, but I met personally with Governor Makinde and appealed to him, and he has promised to pay the compensation in full. I assure the affected people that the compensation will be paid as promised by the governor,” he said.

Adekanmbi, however, promised to review the records and settle any outstanding claims within his first 100 days if elected.

“I am now assuring the affected people that if given the opportunity to serve them, within my first 100 days in office, I will check the file again, and anybody who is yet to be paid, I will pay the remaining people,” he said.

He defended the Circular Road project, arguing that it had been conceived by previous administrations before the Makinde government began implementation.

“It is not the first in Oyo State. And we should not forget that administrations before Governor Makinde conceptualised this project, including the setback. Governor Makinde is just implementing what is best for the people,” he said.

Adekanmbi’s remarks come amid concerns among residents over land acquisition, compensation and the effects of the project on their properties and livelihoods. He did not disclose the number of affected property owners who had been paid or the outstanding compensation balance.

Promises regular salary payments

On workers’ welfare, the APM candidate promised to maintain the 25th of every month as the salary payment date if elected, adding that his administration would seek to pay earlier whenever possible.

Adekanmbi recalled that when he became a commissioner under Ajimobi, Oyo State was facing a backlog of 14 months’ unpaid salaries, which he said he was tasked with helping to clear.

“When I became a commissioner, that was the first assignment the late governor gave me, and he appealed to me to solve the problem,” he said.

He said he approached the Federal Government for fiscal support and explored other funding arrangements to address the crisis.

“The first thing I did was to write to the Federal Government. I made an appeal to them, and we applied for a fiscal support bailout. That was how we started clearing the backlog,” he said.

He also claimed that his team helped secure the Paris Club refund for the state and that he ensured the money was used to pay workers who were owed salaries.

“Oyo State was not eligible then, so I made a move, and with my team, Oyo State was able to get the Paris Club fund. I ensured I used it to pay workers who were owed,” he said.

Adekanmbi said his experience had taught him the importance of balancing prompt salary payments with a sustainable financial system.

“The records are there, and myself and Governor Seyi Makinde have sat down and agreed on sustainability,” he said.

He added, “I am a problem solver. I will not watch the workers suffer.”

Reaffirming his commitment to workers, he said, “I will not change the payment date of the 25th. I will rather even pay early and ensure sustainability.”

Opposes land grabbing

Adekanmbi also declared his opposition to land grabbing, insisting that government acquisitions for development projects must comply with existing laws and established procedures.

“I am totally against land grabbing. There are laws against that, and I will always comply,” he said.

He explained that government could acquire land for residential layouts, airports and agricultural projects, provided the process was supported by valid records and carried out in accordance with the law.

“People should know that developmental plans that are already recorded in government records for maybe GRA, airport or agricultural land may require government acquisition. Government can partner with developers,” he said.

The APM candidate also denied reports that he had received a land-related contract from President Bola Tinubu.

“I heard people saying that I have gotten a contract from Jagaban. That news is not true. The land is validly recorded by the government,” he said.

Adekanmbi defended Makinde against allegations of land grabbing and alleged that a political figure opposed to the governor had previously sold him land that he could not subsequently locate.

“One of the people contesting against Governor Makinde and calling him a land grabber once duped me on land matters,” he alleged.

He added, “When I was abroad, I contacted him. He sold a land to me and said it was on the hilltop. I have the documents he gave me, which he signed, but the land can never be traced till date.”

Adekanmbi did not identify the individual or provide further details to independently establish the allegation.

He also maintained that Makinde had not allocated any portion of the Circular Road to himself.

“Governor Makinde does not allocate a plot of the Circular Road to himself,” he said.

Challenges Alli over local government funds

On local government autonomy, Adekanmbi challenged Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District, to respond publicly to allegations of financial impropriety linked to his past administration of a local government.

The APM candidate argued that discussions about local government autonomy should also address accountability, the protection of workers’ salaries and the proper management of council funds.

“The records of him being indicted are there,” Adekanmbi said, alleging that concerns about the management of local government resources had contributed to measures intended to protect workers from salary arrears.

He questioned whether local government autonomy could be effectively guaranteed without safeguards against the diversion of public funds.

“Till date, there is no local government autonomy anywhere in Nigeria,” he said.

Adekanmbi also criticised Alli for what he described as insufficient attention to legislation that could strengthen local government administration.

“This my egbon has spent three years in the Senate. Instead of him to propose laws that will help the local government, he is busy erecting billboards,” he said.

He further referred to allegations that some local government chairmen had transferred public funds into cryptocurrency accounts, arguing that such claims raised questions about accountability.

The APM candidate said his administration would examine the implications of local government autonomy in Oyo State, particularly in light of past salary arrears.

“Since we know that some things had gone wrong, because of the Supreme Court judgment, when the local government areas in Oyo State owed months of salaries, we will need to look into it critically and ask some major questions,” he said.

Adekanmbi then challenged Alli to call into the radio programme and defend the allegations.

“I am declaring now in this studio that I am ready to become the campaign manager of Sharafadeen Alli if he can call into the studio before 2pm and defend the allegations of theft against him,” he said.

He added that he would be willing to step aside from the governorship contest if Alli could provide evidence to support his position on local government autonomy.

“If he can also tell the people of Oyo State, with evidence and records beyond reasonable doubt, how he will guarantee local government autonomy, I am ready to step down and be his campaign manager,” Adekanmbi said.

The allegations against Alli were made by Adekanmbi during the interview and were not independently established in the account.

Defends Makinde over Bodija explosion funds

Adekanmbi also defended the Makinde administration’s handling of financial assistance for victims of the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan, arguing that the state government had begun providing support before Federal Government funds became available.

He said the state had a responsibility to respond immediately to the needs of affected residents rather than wait for federal assistance.

“If he had waited for the Federal Government’s money, where would he lodge the people affected?” Adekanmbi asked.

Drawing a comparison with the handling of the Paris Club refund during the Ajimobi administration, he said a dedicated account was opened for the funds while the state continued to use its resources for routine expenditure.

“When the Paris Club fund came in, we opened a dedicated account for it while we continued to use the state fund to run the day-to-day operations pending the time when we had a meeting with the Federal Government and all documents were checked and rechecked,” he said.

Adekanmbi rejected allegations that Makinde had diverted funds meant for the victims.

“Ask those shouting around! Did the governor loot the money? The money is there. The money is not missing,” he said.

He further claimed that the amount requested by the state differed from the amount eventually released by the Federal Government, adding that the terms and conditions attached to the assistance had to be concluded.

“What he requested from the Federal Government was not what was sent, and pending the time the state will conclude on all terms and conditions, the money can’t be sent,” he said.

The APM candidate maintained that the state government had to continue addressing the needs of affected residents while resolving the administrative requirements associated with federal assistance.

Pledges focus on internal roads, airport

On infrastructure, Adekanmbi acknowledged Makinde’s investments in road construction but promised to give greater attention to internal roads and communities requiring improved access.

“Governor Makinde has done a lot on the issue of roads,” he said, noting that the state government had invested in roads intended to open up Oyo State to investment.

However, he said an APM-led administration would prioritise roads within communities.

“I have heard about the issue of Amuloko, but Governor Makinde needed to open up the state to investment. That was why Governor Makinde spent a lot on roads that are external. But I can assure you that we will do a lot on roads, especially the internal roads, and we will fix them,” he said.

On the upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, Adekanmbi described the project as a strategic investment that should be developed with consideration for passenger traffic, economic activity and financial sustainability.

He credited Makinde with driving the upgrade, saying the next step should be to strengthen the airport’s operations.

“Governor Makinde is the brain behind the upgrade,” he said.

He added, “What we will do now is to strengthen the Ibadan Airport upgrade and let it serve its purpose.”

Adekanmbi also promised to develop a framework for operating tourism sites across the state to ensure that they contributed more effectively to economic development.

On electricity, he said Oyo State required about 600 megawatts to meet its needs, arguing that the available supply was insufficient.

“Oyo needs about 600 megawatts, and the available light now is not enough. Since power has been decentralised, we will do more on it,” he said.

Vows to revive Ikere Gorge Dam

Adekanmbi further promised to work with the Federal Government to revive the Ikere Gorge Dam, saying previous efforts to secure federal intervention had not produced the expected results.

He recalled that the Ajimobi administration had written to the Federal Government concerning the facility, which he said was subsequently concessioned without significant development.

“I remember the late Ajimobi tried to do something on the dam, and he even wrote a letter to the Federal Government. The dam was later concessioned by the Federal Government, but nothing tangible was done,” he said.

The APM candidate pledged to reopen discussions with the Federal Government to determine how the dam could be developed.

“But during my time, I will ensure something is done on that dam. I will certainly relate with the Federal Government on that,” he said.

He also reiterated his intention to establish a workable framework for operating tourism sites across Oyo State.

“For tourism, we will have a formula to operate all the tourism sites in Oyo State, and we have eyes on it,” he said.

Adekanmbi, who served as a commissioner under Ajimobi, also defended his record in the administration, recalling instances in which he said he alerted the late governor to contractors’ attempts to exploit the state government.

He said the experiences reinforced his belief that public projects required close monitoring, transparency and financial accountability.