… says PDP’s ‘lies’ should be disregarded
The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has said that the Oja Oba in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, is not for sale.
The party called on all Ado Ekiti indigenes and residents not to believe the rumour it said was being peddled by the Peoples Democratic Party that the market had been slated for sale.
The party, in a release issued at the weekend, signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Sam Oluwalana, said, “To put the records straight, and contrary to the rumours being peddled by Odeyemi, the Oja Oba in Ado Ekiti is not for sale and cannot be sold at any point of an APC government in the state.
“On the contrary, the state government has publicly advertised for a private operator to manage the market for a period of five years, in line with the best practices for managing commercial assets.”
The statement added, “The operator will be responsible for ensuring that the market is well maintained, and will also manage the provision of the necessary services including security, electricity and running water.
“In fact, the government is entering into an arrangement with commercial banks to offer affordable loans to traders who want to buy shops in the market, payable over a five-year period, at a reasonable interest rate. This will allow many people who are unable to pay outright for shops to do so. In addition, the state is also working on a sustainable power solution that will ensure the market to have 24/7electricity and reduce the cost of electricity to our traders.”
It said the APC government was focused on supporting traders and would not sell government’s assets, noting, “However, the government will continue to partner with the private sector for the purpose of investing their capital either to start their own businesses, or optimise existing government assets that can benefit from public/private partnership collaborations.
“We hope this will put a lie to Diran Odeyemi’s deliberate falsehood, even as his party enjoys its Macabre Dance. As the Yoruba adage goes, a stranger cannot know more than the native, Diran Odeyemi, who has been trying to justify his position as the Secretary of the contraption called the PDP Caretaker Committee in Ekiti State, can never understand the workings of the present administration of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the state.”
