Contrary to claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State that its administration under former governor, Late Abiola Ajimbo gave state owned tertiary institutions 100 percent subvention to run throughout its tenure, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the opposition party describing the statement as not only unfortunate but also a needless embarrassment.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Oyo State, Akeem Olatunji on Thursday December 8 quoted the ruling party as saying 2016-2019 was not too long a period for the APC to feign acute amnesia by attempting to erase what was termed as ‘ugly past’ which it said will continue to hunt the opposition party forever.
Governor Seyi Makinde while assenting to the bill upgrading Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a University earlier in the week stated that subvention to state owned tertiary institutions have been returned to 100 percent from the 25 percent which the APC government reduced it to during the last administration.
While condemning the statement by the APC for attempting to distort history, the PDP in Oyo state said APC’s reaction in the said statement was only reflective of feeling disgusted by its own history which was characterized by monumental failure, top government level corruption, executive recklessness and rascality as we well as sheer political brigandage.
In what the ruling party described as shocking reaction, the opposition APC released a statement claiming its late Abiola Ajimobi paid 100 percent subvention to the state owned tertiary institutions throughout its dispensation and before Makinde reduced it to 25 percent.
The Oyo state PDP said APC in the state has continued to embarrass and insult the collective sensibility of not only the managements and administrators of the affected state owned tertiary institutions with its reckless outbursts and shameful denials but has continually done so shamelessly to the sensibility of all students and parents affected.
The Oyo state PDP quoting former governor, Late Abiola Ajimobi, during the inauguration of governing councils of state owned tertiary institutions in October, 2016 as saying “For varying lengths of time, the institutions have been shut down by the trade unions who are demanding prompt payment of salaries and allowances to their members. This is a challenging time in the lives of these institutions you are coming in.
“Let it be noted that the state government is not responsible for the payment of salaries and allowances to staff of tertiary institutions. The government is simply obliged to assist these institutions through the periodic release of subventions, as it is the global practice.
“The current recession in the state, in particular, has necessitated 25 per cent reduction in our traditional subvention figures since April 2016. This should hopefully be revised upward as soon as the economy of the state improves.”
The ruling party wondered why the opposition party was so disgusted by its own record such that it was telling brazen lies and still showing audacity with the manner it was peddling the lies maintaining that Oyo state APC was the most calamitous and disastrous thing that ever happened within the political landscape of Oyo state.
The ruling PDP added that the affected institutions which are The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa; College of Education, Lanlate; The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki; Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (now University), and the College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora have since been receiving their subventions in full under the Seyi Makinde led government.
“Even though very embarrassed, we’re not surprised at the newly upgraded version of telling lies which is tantamount to ‘lie pro max’ by the most shameless and irresponsible political party in the state; the APC. It is a party whose hallmark is lies, lies, and more lies until it is confused to be true by the ‘gullibles’.
“Fact remains that feigning acute amnesia can not rescue the Oyo APC from its political misfortune and the earlier the opposition come to term with the fact that no amount of lies told or still telling can give it another chance into the Agodi Government House again because the people who are the real owner of the mandate are now wiser having seen the disaster APC represents at all levels you can think of.
“It is unfathomable, psychologically irritating and disgusting that a political party that once held power in the state could feel so ashamed of its own records and very disgusted by its own history such that it is now feigning advanced level of memory loss by attempting to brazenly cling on the success of the PDP led government for political relevance and survival.
“The APC should learn the art of playing the role of a responsible opposition because through that, democracy is beautified. It must be done decoriously and responsibly as applicable in sane climes because we will be having them perform that role for a very long time to come therefore, they must not be allowed to contaminate our political landscape with their virus infested political brand whose hallmark is deeply rooted in persist and sustained peddling of falsehood untill it is confused to be true.”
