Oyo APC faults Makinde over claims of influencing food price drop
By Adejayan Gbenga –
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has faulted claims by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde that it was responsible for the recent drop in food prices across the country, describing the assertion as “a deliberate falsehood aimed at misleading the public.”
The opposition party’s reaction followed a statement credited to the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who reportedly claimed that the Makinde-led government played a major role in stabilising food prices. Olaleye made the remarks on Thursday while hosting journalists, alongside the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, at the Agodi State Secretariat in Ibadan.
In a counter statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the Oyo APC accused Governor Makinde of lacking a clear-cut policy on agriculture, alleging that his administration had done more harm than good to the sector.
“But for insensitivity, insincerity, and lack of empathy, no appointee working under Governor Makinde should have the guts to score his government high in any critical sector of the economy — not even in agriculture or food security — because there is little or nothing to show for six and a half years in office,” the statement read.
The APC maintained that the fall in food prices was a national trend and not the result of any state government’s intervention. “If any governor deserves credit, it certainly cannot be one who has converted farmlands into housing estates, abandoned rural farmers, and discouraged investors from participating in agriculture,” Sadare added.
The party also accused Makinde of mismanaging agricultural initiatives, alleging that a ₦7.6 billion loan obtained in 2020 for the rehabilitation of farm estates in Akufo and Eruwa was diverted. It further referenced a 2019 youth training programme in Nasarawa State, claiming that none of the beneficiaries had established farms since returning to Oyo.
The statement also criticised the rebranding of the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP) to the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), alleging that the move allowed the government to seize equipment and properties belonging to the former agency.
“How can a government that has neglected farmers and frustrated agricultural investors now claim credit for cheaper food prices in the market?” the statement queried.
