A chieftain of the opposition’s All Progressives Congress in Oyo state
and a former Special Adviser on Youth and Sports to late governor Abiola Ajimobi, Afeez Bolaji Repete, has stated that his former principal did not extend the length of the Ibadan circular road corridor, as claimed by the present administration.
Repete was quoted to have said this during an interview on Tuesday,
charging the Seyi Makinde led government not to blackmail the past administration and be truthful to the public on the matter.
It was gathered that the circular road initiative was conceived by the administration of senator Rasidi Ladoja in 2005, marking just 150 metres as the corridor for the project work.
It also gathered that his successor, late Adebayo Alao-Akala did not execute the project and it was properly awarded by Governor Ajimobi before leaving office in 2019.
Reports however, said the present government is claiming that the extension made by the immediate past administration of Ajimobi is actually what governor Makinde is acting on to ensure the success of the project.
But, in his reactions, Repete said that his former principal did not extend the length of the road, noting that he attempted to increase it to 350 metres but had to rescind the decision when the people protested against it in 2016.
He said, “Ajimobi initially increased the length but he reversed to what he met on ground when the people protested in 2016. So, when Makinde came on board, he met 150 metres. That is the position.
“Ajimobi met 150 metres and he added 350, but when people protested, he returned back to the original 150 metres. That was in 2016.
“It was Ajimobi that awarded the contract before Seyi Makinde revoked it. Ajimobi started it”. He stated.
Recall that the extension of the Ibadan circular road corridor has been a source of concern for residents in six local government areas of Ibadan in the last few months.