Olaiya Flyover: “Desist from undermining Oyetola’s legacies to avoid socio-political unrest” – Osun APC warns Adeleke

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has reacted to the alleged plan by the state government to demolish the popular Olaiya flyover bridge in Osogbo, alleging the Adeleke’s government of sentiment to discredit the legacies of his predecessor, OsunReporters News gathered.

The party leadership explained this during a Press briefing held on Wednesday at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo.

It should be recalled that the state government had earlier announced plans to divert traffic from the said bridge due to the current state of the flyover for public safety, which is one of the projects executed by the immediate governor of the state now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola while in office.

However, the party at the conference, addressed by the Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Tajudeen Lawal, former Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye; former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke; former Special Adviser on Education, Alhaji Jamiu Olawumi, insisted that the flyover was constructed with quality materials that can never be faulted anywhere in the world, saying it remains one of the best legacies bequeathed to the state by any government since creation of the state.

Osun APC sent a strong warning to the state government to desist from actions capable of undermining the gains of the former Governor and setting Osun to socio-political unrest.

In his address, the State Chairman of the party who was represented by the state treasurer, Femi Kujembola, described the plan of the government as disruptive, capable of brewing bad blood among citizens of the state along political divides.

In their separate conteibutions, former Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr Oluremi Omowaiye; former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke and former Special Adviser on Education, Alhaji Jamiu Olawumi, narrated the concept behind project, noting that the bridge was constructed in line with the international best practices and standard.

According to them, the flyover passed all prescribed tests and it was built to last many years just as he maintained that the project was awarded to a renowned contractor with impeccable track records. The construction of the bridge was a product of due process and a child of necessity to eliminate road mishap and reduce traffic congestion on the axis.

They maintained that the state government under Governor Ademola Adeleke was bent on destroying all the legacies of the previous administration for petty political motive, adding that the current government in the state lacked moral right and integrity to condemn any job done by his predecessor, stating it is troubling that the ongoing Okefia flyover has already failed integrity test even before completion.

The statement reads in part; “Precisely in December 2020, there was a ghastly motor accident at the Olaiya roundabout then that claimed lives and this informed the decision of the state government then to erect flyover bridge in view of the similar situation on that axis.

“The essence is to eradicate road mishap, traffic congestion and as well bring aesthetic values to the center which our administration did successfully. We carried out an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and we did traffic count to look at the vehicular movement and congestion strength and we were very empirical as that later informed the decision to erect the flyover. We did all this to reduce the accident.

“We equally approached the federal ministry of works before the project was carried out knowing full well that the road is a federal government road. We equally approached a renowned consultant that supervised the project. We also gave the project to the contractor with verifiable record not the fertilizer distributors and cyber cafe operators that the state government are currently using that could not boast of any successful work they have ever done in the past before undertaking contracts in Osun.

“We carried out various capacity tests to ensure the standard and sustainability of the project. We carried out various material tests, including plate loading test, at the University of Lagos laboratory, FUTA laboratory, Lagos State Material Testing Lab, the best laboratory in the Nigeria.”

The briefing was attended by former Commissioner of Information, Hon. Sunday Akere; APC Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Kola Olabisi; Mr. Akin Adeyi; former SSA on Students and Social Mobilization, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji; State Women Leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde; Comrade Waheed Adediran; Elder Adebayo Adeyemi; Lukman Rafiu; Deaconess Adesola Ayangbile among others party leaders.