Criticise Adelabu’s spending on election, not Makinde’s assets, PDP tells APC chief

Oyo State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, has described the reactions of Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the voluntary declaration of assets by Governor Seyi Makinde as reckless, unpatriotic, uncivilised and a wicked approach to discourage men of goodwill from partaking in politics.

In a statement made available to newsmen through the party’s Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji, Mustapha condemned what it described as “the sycophantic nature” of his counterpart in Oyo APC, Chief Akin Oke.

The chairman said he expected him to ask questions from his party’s governorship candidate in the last election, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on how he sourced for billions of naira he allegedly spent on gubernatorial campaign as well as hundreds of vehicles he purchased for the campaign.

He said: “If a government worker like Adelabu could spend lavishly without blinking and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is looking the other way, then how much more a businessman with chains of businesses in almost four continents of the world?

“Mathematically, a man who pays N1.5 billion in tax should be in a position to have more than N48 billion declared and here is a man who believes private citizens must pay tax for the government to have enough to take care of the less privileged in the society.

“According to the available information, Makon Group, a company wholly owned by Governor Seyi Makinde, built Utorogu NAG 2 Plant, a 150 mmscfd plant, which increased the capacity of the Utorogu gas hub from 360 mmscfd to circa 510mmscfd that addressed the supply shortfalls in the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System and West African Gas Pipeline (ELPS/WAGP) market.

“The project can generate up to 600mw of electricity, which is around 17 per cent of Nigeria’s national generation capacity for electricity. That GSM declared N48 billion is even an understatement, he works hard and earns fat pay from his chain of businesses across the globe.”

Meanwhile, 36 states’ chairmen of the APC have endorsed Waziri Bulama for the seat of the National Secretary of the party.

Deputy Chairman of the Forum and State APC Chairman in Delta, Jones Erue Ode, confirmed the development to reporters after they met with Bulama behind closed doors at the weekend in Abuja.

According to him: “We have agreed to work with him. We agreed to stand with him having listened to him and watched his tall credentials. We need someone who can stand for our party, who is intelligent and has a lot of things working in his favour. We hail his credentials, we hail his integrity and sacrifice for our party as well as his commitment to our party and we said we will stand with him.”