APC criticises Makinde over cabinet reshuffle

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, approved a minor cabinet reshuffle.

The minor cabinet shake-up was announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

But the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state criticised the governor, saying a cabinet reshuffle would make no difference “unless Governor Makinde sits down with relevant resource persons to produce an ideal blueprint or work plan which he would be ready to implement sincerely.”

The reshuffle in Makinde’s cabinet saw the former Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Ademola Ojo, move to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.

“Ojo is a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in the state chapter.

“Segun Olayiwola, who, until the reshuffle, was manning the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, has been moved to the Ministry of Establishment and Training.

“The erstwhile Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Adeniyi Adebisi, will move to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives.

“The reshuffling is with immediate effect,” the statement read.

Reacting, however, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Olawale Sadare, told The PUNCH: “The problem with the current PDP administration of Governor Seyi Makinde is more than his choice of cabinet members but the person of the governor. We have observed that he is neither a team player nor a democrat.

“Five years down the line, none of his commissioners is popular as most residents cannot possibly tell who they are since they are not visible. Governor Makinde runs a one-man show and it is evident the governor does not give his appointees enough room to perform their functions.

“The most visible among the commissioners earned his popularity through his penchant for media stunts as he takes the opportunity of every traditional festival or social function to dance in front of cameras.

“Unless Governor Makinde sits down with relevant resource persons to produce an ideal blueprint or work plan which he would be ready to implement sincerely, no concrete developmental stride would be achieved by the Makinde administration.

“He can decide to reshuffle his cabinet every week but as long as he sees his appointees as mere figureheads, he cannot get the best from them. A situation whereby a commissioner cannot address the press without the consent of the governor speaks volumes about the condition under which they operate.”