Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are currently in a verbal war over the N48 billion assets declared by Governor Seyi Makinde to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Makinde had made his declared assets public in a statement issued on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Taiwo Adisa.
But, the APC Chairman in the state, Akin Oke, yesterday, challenged Makinde to disclose the source of his wealth, saying: “I don’t think I want to make comment on the issue since I have no idea, but it raises a number of issues. He just declared what he has, how he came about the assets is not there.
“Going by my experience and exposure, I think it is too early to honestly assess a governor just after a few weeks in office. I would rather wait till after 100 days or even after six months.
“To start assessing people after six weeks in office will be so unfair if one wants to be honest to his conscience.”
But, in a swift reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Adisa told journalists in Ibadan that the governor’s action “portends probity and accountability. A lot will use that as gimmick to win votes. Immediately he was elected, he put machineries in place.
“Many would not want him to have done that so as not to expose himself to the world, since the law does not want him to do that. Makinde said his words are his bonds and would not shy away from that reality. It is a great mark for accountability, sincerity and probity in the state. That is what he is demonstrating.
“Somebody in APC should be ashamed of reacting on this matter. What Makinde did was also required to have been done by those who served under Abiola Ajimobi (the immediate past governor, Ajimobi) but they did not do it,” he said.
Adisa said APC did not need to keep playing opposition with everything, arguing that if APC had failed and Makinde has been taking steps to put things the way they should be, it should not be politicised.