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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, over his failure to identify with the victims, families and the state government on the recent explosion in Ibadan.
Makinde expressed his disappointment in Atiku while receiving the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, who came to commiserate with him, on Monday.
Receiving Obi in his office at the state secretariat, the governor said out of the three leading candidates in the 2023 presidential election, only Atiku has failed to reach out or condole with the state and victims of the incident.
He said it was insensitive for Atiku not to show solidarity or even acknowledge the tragedy, noting that the former vice president’s silence sends a troubling message about his character and judgement.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, former governor of Anambra and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi for the visit.
“I thank him because politics didn’t step into this. You came here to commiserate with us over the explosion. Actually, investigation is ongoing. It was simply illegal miners storing explosives in an environment where they shouldn’t be.
“It is a place meant for people to live in. It’s not a mining site. So, all the lapses that allowed such to happen had been looked into.
“I am particularly grateful because, the musketeers that went for the presidential election have reached out to me. The president has called me, you have reached out to me, but my own party’s candidate (Atiku Abubakar) has not called or even sent a text message.
“And I am saying it openly, so that our leaders will know that there is time for politics, you have a time for governance and you have a time for humanity. So, we want to say thank you so much, sir! We appreciate this visit,” the governor said.
Earlier, Obi had said his visit was to commiserate with the governor and the people of the state over the recent explosion.
“Through the governor, we want to extend our condolences to the bereaved families and to all those who lost their valuable property in the incident and to assure them of our prayers that God will grant those who lost their lives eternal rest.
“And we want to thank the government for its prompt response and that is what governance has to be,” he said.
On the economic situation of the country and its effect on the masses, Obi said a cut in the cost of governance at the federal level is a necessary sacrifice to move the country forward.
“All of us are now involved and all of us should work hard and make the necessary sacrifice to see that we turn around the situation. When what happened here happened,and the government responded in a manner government should respond. Everybody came to participate and commend them for doing the right thing.
“It is a matter of sacrifice. Today, elections are over, governance is the key thing and what is required is to cut down on the cost of governance, especially at the federal level. It is unacceptable the way it is going; we need to prioritise critical areas such as education, health and pulling people out of poverty,” Obi added.