Makinde’s Penchant for Incurring Debt Is Legendary; Attack on Ajimobi Is Diversionary | By Prof Adeniyi Olowofela
Makinde’s penchant for incurring debt is legendary; he has incurred 500 billion in the last six years: the attack on Ajimobi is diversionary.
A few days ago, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, got the Oyo State House of Assembly nod to get a 63 billion loan to renovate Government House. When APC stalwarts asked him not to go ahead with it, he claimed he is spending too much to service Ajimobi’s debt.
For the purpose of enlightenment, Ajimobi got an agricultural loan of 7 billion naira for the revitalisation of the Akufo farm settlement and Ibarapa agricultural development. Shortly after Makinde won the election in the year 2023, he wrote to the bank that the money should not be released to the outgoing APC (Ajimobi’s) government, which the bank complied with; hence, the principal beneficiary of that loan is the Seyi Makinde administration. Nonetheless, Akufo farm settlement and Ibarapa are yet to benefit from the loan six years later.
Also, Ajimobi got 200 million dollars for flood control from the World Bank, in which his government assessed only 14% of the fund, which means the government of Seyi Makinde benefitted 86% of the fund. Logically speaking, if GSM is servicing the aforementioned debts, he should not cry foul of a fund in which he is a principal beneficiary.
From May 2019 to June 2025, the Oyo State Government under Governor Makinde has cumulatively borrowed upwards of ₦500 billion.
Many people have been jostling to succeed GSM in the year 2027. Whoever will succeed him must be an economic wizard for the state not to be grounded.
If on Makinde’s priority list is to spend 63 billion on renovation of Government House, Oyo State citizens and indigenes should not cry foul of hunger, as the priority of the sheriff in the state is the cosmetics of Government House rather than tackling hunger and poverty.
It’s on record that Ajimobi left government 6 years ago and died a year later. If GSM is still blaming Ajimobi for his rudderless leadership, he may hire the services of a necromancer to wake Ajimobi up.
It is on record that Makinde seized Ajimobi’s house along Government House in the last six years. Anybody who has been graciously given the opportunity to be a governor for six years is supposed to be a statesman, not a typical politician. Please eschew victimisation; release Ajimobi’s house to the family.
It is high time GSM allowed Ajimobi to rest in peace.
Adeniyi Olowofela, Federal Character Commission, Abuja.
