Mokola flyover: Ajimobi’s spin doctors exposed

THE much trampled people of Oyo State woke up on a certain morning to the saddening report that some disgruntled members of the opposition in the state had connived the night before to destroy the precious and (in) famous Mokola flyover.

Naturally, for a city that has been a political capital of the most sophisticated south west of Nigeria for close to a century now, but which was only provided such an architectural feat a few months ago, there was a sense of outrage.

Unfortunately as usual, the government of Alhaji Abiola Ajimobi, once again, seized the opportunity of an unfortunate incident to score cheap political point as well as cover up a shame that will accompany top hierarchy of the regime long after they would have been ignobly kicked out of office.

On that innocent morning, Special Assistant to Governor Ajimobii on Media, Festus Adedayo, through a press statement entitled: “Ibadan Flyover barrier demolished” accused the opposition of having made real, an earlier threat to pull down the barrier. He added that government was in receipt of security report that some political thugs were being commissioned by the opposition to demolish the flyover.



Coming on the heels of frantic demands by some patriotic citizens of the state for the administration to come clean on the apparently over bloated amount being bandied as cost of the flyover, it was easy to decipher where the insinuations were directed at.

Of course, for an administration desperately seeking sympathy as a diversionary strategy for its frivolity, lack of accountability and flagrant disregard for due process and value for money, it was an opportunity to heap the blame for a badly executed job on some phantom opposition members. Since it would be a shame to admit that something slightly bigger than a tricycle (a Tata minibus) was responsible for the shattering of a project that cost a whooping N3 billion, the Alaparutu Peoples’ Convergence (APC) must see the absent finger of its opponents in the destruction, otherwise, tax payers would be outraged.

Well, Adedayo, quoting a certain Kayode Adepoju, Special Adviser on Infrastructure had told the world that the administration was in procession of some security reports, which blamed the opposition for damaging the barrier on the flyover before the minibus hit it.

[b]The question to ask these spin doctors is: who prepared the security reports? Spokesperson of the state command of the Nigeria Police, DSP Bisi Ilobanafor, shortly after, issued a comprehensive report on the damage. According to her, “the barrier over the Mokola, Ibadan Flyover Bridge has been pulled down by a Mini-Tata vehicle which hit the barrier today (Tuesday).

A tricycle branded with NESCAFE advert forced its way while entering the bridge from Adamasingba area but on its way out heading towards Sango area, the height of the barrier was too low, so the driver immediately turned and headed back forcing its way out when the barricade fell on the highway.”

Ilobanafor continued that the Mini-Tata vehicle driver, Olakunle Akanji, had been arrested and detained at Mokola Police Station while further investigation was ongoing. And to prevent other vehicles from being trapped as a result of the damage, the mini-Tata vehicle had been used to barricade the other end of the bridge so that, oncoming vehicle will not collide with the barricade and that the construction firm had also been contacted to ensure that the barricade was immediately replaced.[/b]

Diametrically opposed information

Since the police have a diametrically opposing information on the incident to that of the state government, it will be of great interest to discerning members of the public if operatives of the government would disclose the source of their “security reports”. These spin doctors that pretended to be the people’s saviour when they were canvassing for votes in 2007 but have now been exposed for what they are, had insinuated that the barrier was damaged the previous night only for the mini-Tata truck to complete the knocking down in broad day light.

As the man at the saddle, Governor Abiola Ajimobi has the responsibility to steer the ship of the state together with his team. However, the electorate should remain the masters and deserve to be treated with dignity and decorum. It is most unfair for operatives of the government to act as if the citizenry is daft and unable to differentiate between wrong and right. Before Ajimobi emerged as governor of the state, he never spared his predecessor.

At the national level, the APC has been quite strident in its criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan. So, it should normally be expected that such a party will be tolerant of critical appraisal of its activities. Incidentally, this is not the case as the administration is completely paranoid of criticism and intolerant of opposition.

Responding to issues raised by the anchor of Splash FM personality interview programme, former Governor Rasidi Ladoja, had deployed his acumen as an engineer to point at perceived irregularities in the contracting details of the purported N3 billion flyover. A responsible, responsive and transparent administration should have become sobered by the fact that it was caught in the act and not embark on a propaganda trip to try to evade the real issues.

[b]A simple question begging answer that will forever put agitations over the N3 billion flyover contract sum is: why did the 470 metres Mokola Flyover cost N3 billion while 1,056 metre Flyover in Abeokuta in addition to another 2.4 kilometre road cost only N1.5 billion? Why did it become so burdensome for a democratic government to explain the rationale behind the award of any contract?

The State commissioner for Information, Pastor Taiwo Otegbeye, was also a guest of Splash FM where he said compensation was paid to those whose houses were demolished to pave way for the flyover.

Well, the construction was only a recent development and it is also known that no single house was demolished save for the wall fence of the WEMA Bank. In Abeokuta, houses, shops/stalls were pulled down and the cost of compensation was still embedded in the stated contract sum with victims duly relocated. How much did the Oyo State Government pay to WEMA Bank for the fence that will justify this astronomical difference in the two scenarios?[/b]

The confusion of Oyo citizens being made hapless by their decision to vote APC was further compounded few weeks after the interview when , Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey, Bimbo Kolade declared that compensation was yet to be paid to any displaced person as those affected refused to present their claims. So, how do one now reconcile all the conflicting statements emanating from operatives of the same government?

As law abiding, legitimate and bona fide citizens of Oyo State, we challenge Oyo state government to come out with comprehensive list of those compensated because their properties were destroyed in the process of constructing the Mokola Flyover.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/mokola-flyover-ajimobis-spin-doctors-exposed/

No wonder Ajimobi's administration did not adopt the FOI at the state level.
These na original Jeun s'oke, Jeun s'apo (Increase taxes-IGR for your own pocket) "progressives".
SMH!!!

What's this article about

Akamu and Stew: What's this article about

How would you know what it about? I am sure that once APC is replaced by PDP, Ajimobi replaced with Akpabio or GEJ and Oyo State replaced with Akwa Ibom or Nigeria, it will make tons of meaning to you.

Crappy epistle!

Frank-C:


How would you know what it about? I am sure that once APC is replaced by PDP, Ajimobi replaced with Akpabio or GEJ and Oyo State replaced with Akwa Ibom or Nigeria, it will make tons of meaning to you.

Mr. Man do you understand the article??

If yes, then what do you understand from the confused write-up??

If no, then Shut the fvck up!!

fyneguy: Crappy epistle!

Thank You.

Rubbish

Meaningless article

Am I the only one who thinks the OP is possessed??

Rubbish article.

How did you expect accord party to say a good thing about APC #LadoJa Ole, IRO-Doja

Alao-Akala remains a better Governor than Ajimobi.
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At least, he never inflated the costs of his bleaching creams or the roads and flyovers he never constructed.

.

If you wan beef, go buy gala. Ajimobi is the best for oyo state. Just 2yrs now, see changes. Wen Ladoja and Mr bling bling rule for 8yrs, a/c for 2 tins you achiev.....mofos.

Article is neither here nor there.
I have just wasted precious time looking for a needle in the haystack.

Rubbish post from rubbish newspaper .
THE REALITY IS

OYO STATE HAS A NEW BRIDGE.
WHAT ABOUT YOU

What's the op talking about?

I expected u guys to counter the article with facts yet none of u have any reasonable thing to say other than call the article trash

Nonsense article, i dont know why ladoja shd criticize progress in ds way, afterall nothing of ds sort was done during his regime, tell him to face his buz and mellow abt politics.

Akamu and Stew: Am I the only one who thinks the OP is possessed??

No you are not. Many are of the same opinion.

Since Nigeria returned to democracy(in 1999) no single flyover was built by any governor that ruled Oyo state, but Ajimobi built and commissioned one at the ever-busy Mokola junction within two years in office. On the day of commissioning, people of ibadan in their thousands gathered to witness this good development that has been halted by the previous governments of the state from 1999-2011. With this, the governor's supporters and lovers increased drastically which the opposition were not cool with. These opposition: Ladoja and Akala(same set of people that ruled Oyo state from 2003 to 2011) that never thought of constructing a flyover not to mention commissioning one went ahead to give false impression that the bridge is substandard thereby causing panic amidst the people of Ibadan and discouraged them of using the bridge.
Few weeks later, after the commissioning a driver ran into the barrier used in obstructing heavy trucks(trailers, tankers, lorries) from plying the bridge over the NIGHT and got it damaged.

One thing that I think our politicians in Nigeria need to learn from their western counterparts is making the welfare and good living of the people they are governing or wish to govern their priority. Causing panic ordinarily is a crime because it makes the people feel unsafe. But our politicians see as a way to score political points

How could Ladoja have concluded that the bridge built is substandard without any test to prove it is?

Throughout his stay in office he never thought of building one not to mention a standard one for the people of Ibadan, but Ajimobi built one within his two years in office.

Could it be coincidence that a bridge that Ladoja has been shouting of about it's originality got damaged by a driver AT NIGHT few weeks after it was commissioned?

Is it a crime if Ladoja had pointed out a fault found in the flyover(if at all there is any) and call the government to order secretly and later politicize it if the flyover later developed a major fault that renders it useless?

All these just proved how dirty Oyo state politics is, but it's cool how Ajimobi didn't do anything rascal as retaliation and make things messy like they've been playing it before he joined oyo politics.

Though d Op is mad..but is it true dat it was a tricyle dat pulled down d barrier??

Madawaki01: Though d Op is mad..but is it true dat it was a tricyle dat pulled down d barrier??

Don't tell me you fell for that cheap lie. Can a tricycle hit a blockwall and the tricycle won't get crushed? Not to talk of hitting a steel barrier meant to prevent trailers and tankers from passing.

You see how intellectually shallow previous oyo state politicians are, that they couldn't even form a reasonable lie.

Ucheosefoh: I expected u guys to counter the article with facts yet none of u have any reasonable thing to say other than call the article trash

Honestly, I don't know how to counter an article I don't understand.

Can someone explain what the article is about?

Ucheosefoh: I expected u guys to counter the article with facts yet none of u have any reasonable thing to say other than call the article trash

What is there to counter? When an article says what is written below, then all serious folks know that the author of the article is not a truthful person and certainly not deserving of a serious response.

THE much trampled people of Oyo State

Anyone who can say Oyo people are "much trampled" today , when we all know what obtained before, is a clown who cannot be taken seriously same as no sane person will pay attention to someone who insinuate Black folks in America today are "much trampled people" in comparison to when they were still slaves being sold from one white master to another.

This is a literal comparison because the Oyo folks, and much of the SW, were slaves under the PDP!!!! They are much better off today. Anyone who wishes to deceitfully misrepresent this reality is simply a deluded joker who can only gain audience with folks, perhaps like you, who reject the notion of deferring to what the stakeholders themselves have been through and the solutions they are now gaining which was simply non-existent for a long time under the PDP!!!!!!! Which decent Nigerian will support so much negatives noise over a functional and badly needed traffic-intervention bridge from mainly those who saw no reason to deliver anything when they were in power?

Oyo folks and South-Westerners have suffered terrible neglect under the PDP. They themselves, as stakeholders, feel their lives are much better. Why can people like you simply not respect that instead of supporting failed elements who
do not mean well for their own people and who want to make mischief against happy stakeholders and end users? This bridge, for example, brings succour to serious traffic problems the PDP were happy to ignore. Why are you now joining the clamour to give audience to those who criticise a delivered solution when the Party that was ousted believed in doing nothing at all while telling everyone to accept what obtains because of "lack of funds"?

@OP:
Load of hogwash!

$£yi:
Since Nigeria returned to democracy(in 1999) no single flyover was built by any governor that ruled Oyo state, but Ajimobi built and commissioned one at the ever-busy Mokola junction within two years in office. On the day of commissioning, people of ibadan in their thousands gathered to witness this good development that has been halted by the previous governments of the state from 1999-2011. With this, the governor's supporters and lovers increased drastically which the opposition were not cool with. These opposition: Ladoja and Akala(same set of people that ruled Oyo state from 2003 to 2011) that never thought of constructing a flyover not to mention commissioning one went ahead to give false impression that the bridge is substandard thereby causing panic amidst the people of Ibadan and discouraged them of using the bridge.
Few weeks later, after the commissioning a driver ran into the barrier used in obstructing heavy trucks(trailers, tankers, lorries) from plying the bridge over the NIGHT and got it damaged.

One thing that I think our politicians in Nigeria need to learn from their western counterparts is making the welfare and good living of the people they are governing or wish to govern their priority. Causing panic ordinarily is a crime because it makes the people feel unsafe. But our politicians see as a way to score political points

How could Ladoja have concluded that the bridge built is substandard without any test to prove it is?

Throughout his stay in office he never thought of building one not to mention a standard one for the people of Ibadan, but Ajimobi built one within his two years in office.

Could it be coincidence that a bridge that Ladoja has been shouting of about it's originality got damaged by a driver AT NIGHT few weeks after it was commissioned?

Is it a crime if Ladoja had pointed out a fault found in the flyover(if at all there is any) and call the government to order secretly and later politicize it if the flyover later developed a major fault that renders it useless?

All these just proved how dirty Oyo state politics is, but it's cool how Ajimobi didn't do anything rascal as retaliation and make things messy like they've been playing it before he joined oyo politics.

Thank you. The OP is a well-known enemy of progress in relation to any developmental project delivered by the APC in the SW but even his pathetic and pitiful mischief, coupled with this desperately poor article, cannot detract from the idiocy of how it is mainly failed elements who have done nada in their many years in charge who are bleating negatively and pointlessly about a functional and badly-needed bridge stakeholders and end users have been celebrating and praising as a solution they have clamoured for eternally.

Rubbish article. @op try harder

saktoy83: Nonsense article, i dont know why ladoja shd criticize progress in ds way, afterall nothing of ds sort was done during his regime, tell him to face his buz and mellow abt politics.

Is Ladoja now part of the NPF?

Spokesperson of the state command of the Nigeria Police, DSP Bisi Ilobanafor, shortly after, issued a comprehensive report on the damage. According to her, “the barrier over the Mokola, Ibadan Flyover Bridge has been pulled down by a Mini-Tata vehicle which hit the barrier today (Tuesday).

A tricycle branded with NESCAFE advert forced its way while entering the bridge from Adamasingba area but on its way out heading towards Sango area, the height of the barrier was too low, so the driver immediately turned and headed back forcing its way out when the barricade fell on the highway.”

Ilobanafor continued that the Mini-Tata vehicle driver, Olakunle Akanji, had been arrested and detained at Mokola Police Station while further investigation was ongoing.

It should be obvious there is a mix-up in describing the Mini-Tata NESCAFE branded vehicle as a tricycle. It does not detract from the overall article on Ajimobi's falsehood of claiming a non-existent security report accusing some imaginary opposition for destroying the barrier instead of admitting the low quality of the barrier ab initio.

$£yi:
Since Nigeria returned to democracy(in 1999) no single flyover was built by any governor that ruled Oyo state

So na overhead bridge dem take dey appraise governors now, not the BASIC services in the area of HUMAN CAPITAL development
I imagine the PDP governors who have built such bridges in their states should be getting serious awards from you and others.

Anyway, even a military governor built one in the same Ibadan. For those who may be having memory loss, a little reFRESH may be needed:

The last fly over was constructed by the Jemibewon administration in 1979 and still stands at Molete till today.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/05/19/challenge-and-mokola-to-get-fly-overs-in-ibadan/