The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has chided the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for commissioning a flyover in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, without building anyone in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
PDP said,” If Governor Akeredolu was invited to the ceremony, he should have declined if only to save himself from embarrassment.”
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei in a statement in Akure, the state capital said, “It is common knowledge that Akure is the only state capital in the southwest without a single flyover.”
According to Peretei, “Osogbo has a population of 750,000 (2022) while Akure has 717,000 (2022). Osun State does not collect as much money as Ondo State from the federation account monthly.
In a swift reaction, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, said flyovers are not meant for decoration and fancy.
Akeredolu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said “It has become crystal clear that the PDP in Ondo State has no iota of respect for human lives. The opposition party is prepared, out of desperation, to play politics with the lives of the people and demean any effort of the present administration in the state to save lives.
“For clarity and education of the PDP, flyovers are not constructed for decoration or fancy. They are constructed as careful interventions to forestall unnecessary road mishaps. Since government responsibilities are huge with limited resources, the need to plan and prioritise projects has become expedient.”
According to him, “For several years, the intersection at Ore was a nightmare, not only to the people of Ondo State but other road users plying the Lagos/Benin Expressway. Sadly, there were frequent carnages at that spot in Ore. Lives were lost. Precious times were wasted due to gridlocks.
