Former governor of Oyo State Adebayo Alao-Akala, has lampooned incumbent Seyi Makinde for abusing or using foul language on his predecessors.
Akala gave the advice in an interview with reporters at the empowerment programme of Sen. Fatai Buhari in Iseyin 9n Friday. The lawmaker distributed vehicles, motorcycles, laptops, start-up capital and other items worth about N120 million to his constituents in the 13 local governments of the Oyo North Senatorial District.
While inaugurating the Light-Up Oyo State project in Ogbomoso on Wednesday, Makinde had stressed that his administration was delivering on its campaign promise to use the state’s resources to impact the people of the state. Judging by his administration’s achievements, the governor took a swipe at the opposition and vowed that “charlatans” would no longer govern Oyo State.
But when asked to respond to Makinde’s attack, Alao-Akala said: “I don’t believe he said that. If he said that, he is making a mistake. You don’t address your predecessors as charlatans. You don’t do that. It is unstatesmanlike. You just have to talk like a statesman that he is going to be after he must have left office.
“You would see the way we have been addressing him. None of us who has been in that office before has ever addressed him that he is not doing very well. He is doing his best. The best may not be enough for the people. When it is time for campaign, we will campaign. But don’t use that word ‘charlatan.’ It was unstatesmanlike for him to use.”
Sen. Buhari explained that he embarked on the mega empowerment for the third time because it is a direct dividend of democracy for the people. The lawmaker added that since he started four years ago, he has seen many beneficiaries whose lives have been transformed by the work tools and start-up capital.
The items include 20 cars, 270 motorcycles, 100 laptops, 600 grinding machines, 250 sewing machines, cash support of N20,000 for 100 widows, 100 elders and the vulnerable, N20,000 cash bursary for 100 students, N100,000 start-up capital each for 10 youths and N10,000,000 for various community projects.
At the programme were APC State Chairman, Akin Oke, and top party leaders including a former deputy governor, Iyiola Oladokun, and Sen. Teslim Folarin. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was represented by Dr. Yunus Akintunde.
