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Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States are planning to light-up the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Makinde, who made the disclosure while speaking on State Affairs, a political programme on Splash 105.5FM, Ibadan, on Saturday, said that he has initiated a discussion with his colleagues in Lagos and Ogun States, adding that the three states would work on the possibility of lighting up the entire stretch of the expressway.
According to him, the proposed project will benefit all the three states.
Makinde, who used the opportunity of the programme to give a scorecard of his administration across the four pillars of his government, called on residents of Oyo State to re-elect him on Saturday, March 11, and also vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates for House of Assembly seats.
The governor noted that the fact that the state has been stable socially, economically and politically under his watch meant that Saturday’s election is a no-contest, adding that the people have vowed never to return to politics of desperation (jagba politics ).
He said that residents of the state should re-elect him so as to bring a state of their dreams to reality.
“Under Omituntun 2.0, we are exploring and I am talking to my colleagues in Ogun and Lagos States. We have a 120km stretch from Lagos to Ibadan. What we have done under the Light-Up Oyo project is to put infrastructure on 250km of our road. So, we can do it. There is nothing that says if you are coming from Lagos, there cannot be light every night between Lagos and Ibadan. I can give you that assurance that it will happen.
“As for Lagos, they have up to the bridge head at Berger, and Ogun State has up to Onigaari. They have the longest stretch. And if we say each state should bear the burden accordingly, they will bear the lion share.
“But I told my colleague in Lagos that this is something that should benefit all of us. Even if we have to share the burden in such a way that Ogun State is encouraged to come in, we will do it. But this is something that will happen under Omituntun 2.0,” he said.
He said though the election is a one-day event, its effect and ramification will stay with residents for another four years.
The governor appreciated the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve, while calling on them to do it again on March 11, so that socio-political order, economic prosperity and other good things being enjoyed in the state would continue for another four years.
He equally declared that he was certain that the people have absolute trust in him to continue the socio-political stability being enjoyed in the state.
“So, please vote en masse for the PDP next Saturday. My father used to tell me that I should not get into trouble under the shade but the sun so that when they want to chase you, they chase you from the sun to under the shade. So, the people with brooms (APC) are being rejected in Oyo State and the people will chase them under the umbrella, which is big enough to cover them,” he said.
Speaking on what residents of the state should expect under Omituntun 2.0, Makinde declared that residents of the state have not seen anything yet in terms of infrastructure development and economic expansion, stating that the government would, upon his re-election, activate a lot of projects including the Ilutuntun Business District in Akinyele, which he said will have a digital technology hub for the youths.
While reacting to questions on how his administration has fared in the education sector, the governor pointed out that his government has been able to put in place a massive infrastructure reform in the sector, while also successfully moving about 60,000 students back to the classrooms through its various efforts on provision of free and qualitative education.
He boasted that the administration’s success story in the tertiary education sector include the consistent ranking of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, as the best state university in the country in the last three years.
“LAUTECH, for over three years running, has been adjudged to be the best state university in Nigeria and we will keep pushing. It is work in progress but I can say confidently that we are laying the right foundation for the Oyo State of our dream,” the governor said.
The governor maintained that he would continue to focus on the collective interest of Oyo State people and what is best for them, adding that having learnt quite a bit on the job in the last 45 months, he was sure that more would be achieved under Omituntun 2.0.
He equally declared that the administration will pay greater attention to enforcement of rules under Omituntun 2.0, saying that what his government has done so far is to solve the various problems facing the state in a way that will endure.