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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State and the state government have continued to trade words over the inauguration of the Olaiya flyover bridge in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, by governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
While the PDP slammed Akeredolu and insisted that the present administration in the state for failing to single flyover in the state while there are several intersections in the capital city of Akure begging for the construction of flyovers, saying Akeredolu should have declined the invitation to inaugurate the flyover, to save himself from embarrassment.
But the state government stated that flyovers are not constructed for decoration or fancy, but are constructed as careful interventions to forestall unnecessary road mishaps.
The PDP in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kennedy Peretei, said it would have been more honourable and dignifying if Akeredolu had politely declined the invitation to commission the Osogbo flyover.
He said “Perhaps, the event would not have needed any mention, but for the irony and shamelessness associated with it. Even if Akeredolu was invited to the ceremony, he should have declined, if only to save himself from embarrassment.
“It is common knowledge that Akure is the only state capital in the southwest without a single flyover. Osogbo has a population of 750,000 (2022) while Akure has 717,000 (2022).
“Osun state does not collect as much money as Ondo State from the federation account monthly. Statistics of average monthly allocation to States in 2022 showed that Osun state is number 36 with N1.506b and Ondo state is number 13 with an average of N4.412b monthly.
“It is only a shameless man who celebrates the sumptuousness of the meals from a neighbor’s wife, while his wife is unable to prepare meals for him at home.
“There are several intersections in the city of Akure that can make do with flyovers. The roundabout at NEPA is always chaotic at peak hours. The same with Governor’s Office roundabout connecting the Federal Secretariat and Oda road with a heavy vehicular presence among several others. Yet, Akeredolu can travel all the way to Osogbo to celebrate what he himself is unable to do in Ondo State.
But the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Akeredolu, Mr. Richard Olatunde, said the PDP should learn how to have a sense of shame and get their facts and figure right before rushing to issue statements that clearly indict them.
Olatunde said “It has become crystal clear that the PDP in Ondo State has no iota of respect for human lives. The opposition party is prepared, out of desperation, to play politics with the lives of the people and demean any effort of the present administration in the state to save lives.
“For clarity and education of the PDP, flyovers are not constructed for decoration or fancy. They are constructed as careful interventions to forestall unnecessary road mishaps. Since Government responsibilities are huge with limited resources, the need to plan and prioritise projects has become expedient.
“For several years, the intersection at Ore was a nightmare, not only to the people of Ondo State but other road users plying the Lagos/Benin Expressway. Sadly, there were frequent carnages at that spot in Ore. Lives were lost. Precious times were wasted due to gridlocks.
“To address the nasty situation, Governor Akeredolu moved and constructed a flyover, the very first in Ondo State, to save lives and promote economic activities in Ore, which is the economic hub of the state.
“History has already recorded it that Governor Akeredolu is the first Governor in the state to construct the first flyover. This great feat is in Ore and it is saving lives. No adversarial politics can change the narrative”
The CPS said further that “It is, however, shameful that the PDP, out of self-inflicted selective amnesia, has suddenly forgotten this huge intervention and decided to demean the great effort that has continued to save lives in the state.
“Politics has boundaries. It should not cross the line when it comes to any efforts geared toward saving the lives of our people. Any act contrary to this is, at least, insensitive. Every responsible opposition knows that saving the lives of the people is a collective gain for the state”
He said the clamour for a flyover “at the popular Oba Adesida road due to traffic logjams at a time has been defeated with the placement of concrete barriers on the median. It turned out that what was needed was to stop people from indiscriminately crossing the road and not a flyover.
“Similarly, the obvious spots where flyover would have been needed in Akure are both FUTA north gate and Onyarubulem junction. But the combined team of the state and federal governments has taken a traffic sensor of the roads and discovered that human recklessness and flagrant violation of traffic rules are the cause of the traffic situations on these spots”
He listed some of the roads attended to by the Akeredolu administration in the state including the Orita-Obele down to Oke-Odu road, Ire-Akari road, Gaga in Oke-Aro, Iwalewa in Oshinle, Abusoro in Ijoka, Signatures-SIB-Alagbaka road, Appeal court to SUBEB road, dualisation of Ijoka road which has reached an appreciable level, dualisation of “A” Division to NEPA roundabout and from NEPA roundabout to Olukayode roundabout and down to Ijoka.
He said a total length of 106.91km of road is ongoing in Akure alone out of which 69.66km has been tarred and delivered
But the PDP spokesperson maintained that “Most of the roads in Akure are no longer motorable, courtesy of potholes. Akeredolu who suns himself in the vain glory of dualising Hospital road from Eso junction has not much to talk about.
“The other road projects in Oda and Ijoka roads have taken like forever to complete or may be completed by the next PDP administration.
“The Ondo State Agency for Road Maintenance and Construction ( OSARMCO) that ensured that potholes or failed portions of roads are immediately repaired has been on vacation since Akeredolu assumed office in 2017.
“How it is that Oyetola waited till the last few days of his lackluster administration in Osun State to invite his underperforming counterpart from Ondo is difficult to unravel. Why did he invite a man whose state capital does not know what it feels like to have a flyover?
Ondo state is the only oil-producing state in southwest Nigeria, yet it has next to nothing to show for its jumbo allocation in the last five years or so. Only lamentations and frustration.
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