Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has alleged that the Ibadan circular road project is being politicized with ENL being used by some opposition elements to thwart the efforts of the governor and his government in delivering the project within the stipulated time.
Fielding questions on BOTTOM LINE, a political programme on IBR 92.5fm Ibadan anchored by Aanuoluwapo Omorinde at the weekend, the governor’s mouth-piece wondered why ENL wants to continue with a project which it does not have the capacity to deliver.
According to him, “I think the issue of Ibadan circular road is being politicized and it is unfortunate. I don’t know whose interest it ( ENL Consortium) is serving. We are talking of a road that will serve not only the people of Ibadan but other neighbouring States and it will open up their economies. The contract was revoked from ENL when it showed it does not have the capacity to deliver it”.
Asking whether it is a must for a contractor to go ahead with a contract it does not have capacity to deliver, Adisa said Makinde remains undeterred in his resolve to deliver the road.
It will be recalled that ENL consortium, the construction company from whom the circular road project in Ibadan was revoked had approached the court asking it to jail Makinde, the Attorney general of the state and others for allegedly breaching the law, but Adisa alleged that the consortium resorted to the court after all its attempts to blackmail and hoodwink the governor failed.
OYOINSIGHT.COM understands that the project was initially supposed to be contractor-financed until Makinde revoked it, silently awarded to an Egyptian contractor and was accused of paying close to N20 billion to begin the project.
When told of the insinuation that Makinde looks distracted because of happenings in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and particularly his role in the Ayu-Must-Go saga, Adisa denied this assertion saying “the contract between the people and the governor is still very much intact and that is why he keeps on delivering on his mandate. Just few days ago, the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Iwo-Road/ Olodo/Lalupon road project was approved. That is to show you that the governor is focused on his resolve to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state”.
Majority of those who called-in on the programme however implored the governor to give the State a facelift especially Ibadan stressing that the state capital is becoming too dirty.
