The Oyo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) criticised the protest staged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) over Governor Seyi Makinde’s N300 billion loan. The party described the protest as “an act of irresponsibility,” stressing it lacked genuine purpose. This sparked a heated debate as Oyo PDP blasts APC for politicising the loan approval.
The Oyo State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, approved the request during plenary last month. Disagreement quickly followed, with Ibrahim Shittu, lawmaker representing Saki West, disputing the validity of the approval. He argued that no plenary session held and claimed the required two-thirds quorum of lawmakers was absent.
In reaction, APC members staged a protest in Ibadan on Monday. They demanded transparency and accountability in the loan process, insisting it lacked due diligence. Protesters also accused the government of failing to safeguard the interests of Oyo residents.
PDP spokesperson Michael Ogunsina responded in a media interview on Tuesday. He dismissed the protest as politically motivated and without merit. According to him, the Makinde N300bn loan approval followed due process, and the protest misled the public.
Ogunsina further said that “unscrupulous individuals” orchestrated the demonstration to gain cheap popularity. He argued that instead of criticising Governor Makinde, the opposition should recognise his focus on job creation and development in the state.