The governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement in Oyo State, Bimbo Adekanmbi, has shared that he is also affected by the ongoing Ibadan Circular Road project.
He stated that if he becomes governor in 2027, he will make sure the project gets completed. He believes it is important for the growth of the area.
Adekanmbi spoke to journalists at Thames Hotel in Jericho, Ibadan North-West Local Government Area on Thursday.
On his personal loss, Adekanmbi mentioned that he owns land in the Ona-Ara area that was impacted by the road project. He said that no sacrifice is too great for the state's development.
The PUNCH reports that the demolition work started in Fashade community along the Circular Road in 2024. This affected many villages in Akinyele, Ido, Ona-Ara, Egbeda, Oluyole, and Lagelu local government areas, causing protests among residents.
The state government began demolishing several buildings in March 2024 as part of the Circular Road project. Adekanmbi insisted that this project is vital for Oyo's development and promised to continue it if he becomes governor.
"Circular Road is a good concept. I am also a victim. I have land in Ona-Ara which has been affected. To build a society, you have to create access to the society to make it successful.
"When I become governor, I will continue the construction of the Circular Road and fix the areas where there are issues. We have to make sacrifices for the development of our state," he said.
Adekanmbi, who listed his achievements as Deputy Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Finance, also emphasized that he is not a follower of Governor Seyi Makinde.
"Governor Makinde does not want to be a godfather. He is one of the most intelligent and cerebral persons I have ever met.
"However, I am not Governor Makinde’s stooge. People should hold me accountable for my own decisions," he declared.
The former commissioner noted that continuity is essential for progress in the state. He added that the Makinde administration has improved the state.
"Governor Makinde has raised the bar in Oyo, and we must not go back to Egypt. Like I have been saying, Governor Makinde built the bridge; Bimbo Adekanmbi will take us over the bridge," the APM governorship candidate said.
Adekanmbi also showed his support for local government autonomy. He said Nigeria has local government autonomy by law, but it is not fully practiced.
"Autonomy is not the issue. There are so many factors that should be addressed. When the time comes, we will speak to autonomy the way I understand it because there are so many things we can put in place," he said.
He promised to reveal his manifesto soon. He said it will include specific and measurable targets for his first 100 days, six months, and one year in office.
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