Oyo govt tackles SAN over allegations against Makinde

Oyo State Government has accused Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, of distorting facts and making unsubstantiated allegations against Governor Seyi Makinde and his administration, insisting that the government’s record of achievements speaks for itself.

The government, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said Adebayo was entitled to support any political candidate of his choice but should not resort to misinformation to advance his political interests.

Titled “Oyo Govt to Mr Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo: Lies Have Short Legs,” the statement accused the lawyer of making inflammatory comments and personal attacks against the governor and his administration.

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“Mr Adebayo is free to support any candidate he likes, even one who is clearly addled and patently incompetent, but he has no licence to twist facts or manufacture falsehoods to justify his political choices,” the government said.

It added: “We remind him of a simple truth: lies have short legs. They may stagger noisily for a moment, but they cannot outrun facts, nor can they withstand the reality of the administration’s visible achievements.”

The government further accused Adebayo of seeking to undermine the administration’s achievements and discredit its preferred governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to the statement, his comments had reduced serious governance issues to “beer parlour gossip,” describing the approach as unbecoming of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

On the Ogbere-Amuloko-Akanran-Ilaji-Ogun State border road, the government faulted Adebayo’s criticism, particularly his description of road users as people who “have their thinking apparatuses at the soles of their feet.”

It described the remark as reckless and insulting, maintaining that the road forms part of a World Bank-supported rural access corridor subject to procurement regulations, environmental assessments and phased implementation.

“No World Bank project can be ‘abandoned to spite’ any individual or undermine a private business,” the statement said.

The government explained that road projects were prioritised according to public interest, economic value and technical feasibility, adding that work on the corridor remained part of the state’s rural access and agricultural mobility plan.

It also dismissed allegations that Makinde diverted local government funds or rendered local councils “comatose.”

“Joint funding of strategic roads by the state and local governments is lawful, necessary, and often the only viable way to deliver infrastructure beyond the financial capacity of individual councils,” the statement said.

It added that local governments in the state continued to pay salaries and execute projects, while democratic local government elections had been conducted to strengthen grassroots governance.

On road construction and rehabilitation, the government said projects were determined by engineering assessments and budgetary considerations, with rehabilitation adopted where complete reconstruction was not immediately necessary or cost-effective.

It maintained that road contracts were subject to due process, procurement laws, competitive bidding and oversight, describing allegations of disregard for cost and standards as baseless.

Addressing criticisms of the education sector, the government cited improvements in West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance, school enrolment, infrastructure and teachers’ welfare as evidence of progress under Makinde.

It also rejected claims that the School Governing Board model had been abandoned, explaining that it had been integrated into a broader reform framework.

“The resignation of any individual does not imply wrongdoing,” the statement added, while insisting that the Education Trust Fund continued to operate under due process.

The government further claimed that the Makinde administration had employed more teachers than any previous administration in the state and resolved longstanding challenges at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.

On healthcare, the statement rejected Adebayo’s description of state hospitals as “pigsty,” calling the remark disrespectful to health workers.

It said the administration had renovated and upgraded several health facilities, improved equipment, and strengthened the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency.

The government added that allegations of financial mismanagement in the health sector required evidence, insisting that primary healthcare projects followed established procurement procedures.

On security, it said the administration had strengthened the Oyo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, improved logistics support for federal security agencies and repositioned the Security Trust Fund.

The statement also defended the procurement of a surveillance aircraft, saying it followed security protocols and approvals of the State Executive Council.

It described suggestions that security advisers were unaware of the process as speculative.

The government also addressed criticisms of the Circular Road project, explaining that the contract had been reviewed because of contractual and technical concerns.

“If the Ajimobi administration’s approach was effective, why was the project stalled?” the statement asked, arguing that government had a responsibility to renegotiate or terminate contracts that failed to serve the public interest.

It added that no responsible government should continue with a concession arrangement where the concessionaire failed to meet agreed obligations.

On the Operation Light Up Oyo initiative, the government dismissed suggestions that Makinde had taken credit for another administration’s ideas or removed solar lights, describing the allegations as unfounded.

It said decisions on solar- or diesel-powered lighting were based on cost, maintenance and technical feasibility, adding that public safety and improved mobility remained the administration’s priorities.

The statement also defended the rehabilitation of Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, saying the facility had been upgraded to modern standards and had subsequently hosted several international matches.

It noted that regulatory assessments of the stadium were routine.

The government maintained that Makinde remained open to constructive criticism but would not accept what it described as attempts to rewrite history through exaggerations and unsubstantiated allegations.

“Governor Seyi Makinde welcomes constructive, fact-based scrutiny. What he will not accept is the rewriting of history through exaggerations, vendettas, and unsubstantiated allegations,” the statement said.

It added that residents would ultimately judge the administration by its record in road construction, education, healthcare, security, and governance reforms.

“In the fullness of time, tangible results, not incendiary essays or politically motivated outbursts, will speak for the administration,” the statement concluded.