Oyo APC Slams Makinde Over N63.5 Billion Government House Renovation

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned Governor Seyi Makinde’s approval of N63.5 billion for the renovation of the Agodi Government House in Ibadan, describing the move as wasteful and insensitive.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadare, accused the Makinde-led administration of financial recklessness, saying the massive budgetary allocation for the project was a gross misplacement of priorities.

The APC maintained that the Governor House, last renovated in 2017 by the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, remains functional and does not require such a huge expenditure.

The party also criticised the Oyo State Executive Council’s recent approvals of N132 million for gardening services and N14.3 billion for the installation of an Instrument Landing System at the Ibadan Airport.

The APC said these approvals reflect a pattern of extravagant spending by the current administration amid widespread economic hardship faced by the people of the state.

Sadare described the Government House renovation plan as a white elephant project, alleging that it serves as a conduit for corruption under the guise of infrastructure upgrade. He called on Governor Makinde to immediately rescind the decision and redirect the funds to more pressing developmental needs across the state.

The opposition party further accused the governor of ignoring public outrage and concerns, referencing previous controversies such as the 2019 procurement of exercise books at N2,100 per copy as another instance of alleged mismanagement of public resources.

The APC vowed to continue mounting pressure until the state government accounts for every public fund, while urging well-meaning residents and civil society organisations to speak against what it termed “a brazen display of executive impunity and insensitivity.