The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has suspended the ongoing campaign in local governments of the state until further notice.
The governor, who made the announcement shortly after flagging off the 10 kilometres Omi Adio-Ido road in Ido Local Government Area on Friday, said he could not be campaigning as the people are faced with undue hardship.
The governor was due to campaign in Ido Local Government Area on Friday, while the campaign train was to move to Oluyole Local Government Area on Saturday.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, on behalf of the Media Committee of the governor’s re-election campaign council, quoted him as saying: “I appreciate all the leaders and stakeholders who are ready for the campaign activities for today and I thank you for coming to meet us here today.
“But unfortunately, I will have no choice than to suspend our campaign. So, after this flag-off, I will return home, because there are protests in town and there is a lot of hardship with this issue of the scarcity of the new Naira notes.
“A lot of our people have money in banks but they are not able to get their money. Some of us campaigning are not able to access funds; maybe they do not want us to campaign.
“But I promised the people of Oyo State that I will continue to work for them till the last minute of the last day of my tenure. I am working for them and what this means is if there is hardship and people are protesting, I should not be on the campaign trail. I should go there and look after their interests.
“I have told the powers that be that if we don’t leave politics aside and face governance squarely, with the scarcity of Naira notes and the growing frustration, EndSARS will be a child’s play. I pray that the leaderships in this country will come together.
“I am also part of the leadership and I will take part of the blame on what is currently going on, because I am also occupying a very high position in the country today.”
The governor, however, noted that works on the Omo Adio-Ido Road, which he flagged off, will continue, saying: “So, after the flag off, the contractors will continue their work. We don’t have cash also. We do transfer to the contractors executing our project so that they can continue to do our work.”
The statement also quoted the Director-General of the Seyi Makinde Campaign Organisation, Barrister Bayo Lawal, as saying that the governor’s decision to suspend the campaign was not only commendable but in tune with the reality on ground.
“It is clear that we are all victims of the new Naira policy of the Federal Government. His Excellency has shown leadership by suspending the campaign until we are sure sanity is prevailing,” the DG said.
Speaking earlier at the flag-off of the Omi Adio- Ido road, Governor Makinde told the people that the project was meant to ease transportation to the Ido Train Station, adding that residents of the area would experience hike in the value of their properties when completed.
He advised residents and land owners in the area not to sell their lands anyhow, as according to him; the development efforts being put in place by his administration would certainly influence the standard of living positively.
He also declared that his administration was seeking approval from the Federal Government to enable it to dualise the Omi Adio-Apata road, while also applying for a train station in Ologuneru axis to further ensure that the Lagos-Ibadan train service is fully enjoyed by residents of Oyo State.