By Akinwale Kasali
The brickbat between Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State over the non payment of staff salaries at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho has taken a new twist.
A Group, the Ogbomoso Development Frontiers, ODF, has called on the government of Osun State to live up to its responsibilities to LAUTECH, or hand it over to Oyo State.
The group, in a statement signed by its president, Adebayo Ayandele, asked Osun state government to stop giving frivolous excuses, and conflicting statistics to explain its perennial failure.
According to the ODF, the statements recently signed by a political appointee in Osun State, Adelani Baderinwa, and the Secretary to the State Government, Wole Oyebamiji, suggesting that Governor Makinde was wrongly briefed on LAUTECH, were not only unfounded, but a mere attempt at hiding behind the figures.
The statement described Osun’s submissions as misguided, infantile and diversionary, adding that the state was again out to sabotage the smooth running of LAUTECH.
Ayanbadele stressed that rather than embark on rigmarole by churning out unfounded, unhelpful and unverifiable claims, the government should have done the needful by paying the salaries it owes.
The statement reads: “The truth of the matter is that the statement credited to Governor Makinde was clear and unambiguous. There was an agreement reached by Oyo and Osun states to the effect that each of the states will shoulder the responsibilities of LAUTECH on a six month basis. Oyo State has played its part by paying from January to June of 2019. It is now the turn of Osun and it has started defaulting.
“Where is the place of a 29-year-old unverifiable history in this?”
The group noted that it was apt for Makinde, as the host governor, to cry out on the situation, which would have led to another strike action, but for his honest disposition.
The group urged the Osun State government to toe the path of honour by coming to a roundtable with Oyo State on how to amicably hands off the joint ownership of the university instead of selling itself by sabotaging the smooth running of the institution and the economy of Ogbomoso people.
The statement further reads:
“We note with all sense of modesty that the statement credited to Lani Baderinwa, which he shoddily and mischievously tried to withdraw after he had done the damage, was misguided and needless, while advising the gentleman-governor of Osun State, Chief Gboyega Oyetola, to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis affecting LAUTECH with his brother, the Oyo State governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde.
“We restate that we, and other well-meaning indigenes of Ogbomoso, stand solidly behind Governor Makinde and we are in support of his determination to ensure that LAUTECH becomes truly free of ownership challenges.”
