Ogun light rail project, ‘misplaced priority’ – PDP Candidate, Isiaka

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the April 11 governorship election in Ogun State, Gboyega Isiaka, has described the $3.2bn light rail project contract signed by the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun with China Civil Engineering Construction Company, on Monday, as a “misplaced priority”.

Isiaka stated this Thursday in Abeokuta, the state capital, shortly after submitting his petition to the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, challenging the victory of Amosun, who was re-elected for second term.

During the contract signing, Gov. Amosun had said the rail project would cover intra and inter-city routes in the state.

In his reaction, Isiaka argued that the project should not be the priority of the state for now as there were schools and health facilities that had decayed and in dire need of government attention.

According to him, there were many things the governor did not tell the people of the state about the project.

He said, “One wonders where and when the government conceptualized the project. Was it debated at any state executive council meeting or budget retreat? Was it advertised or bid for? What is going to be the economic and environmental impact upon the economy and the geography of the state respectively?

“How would such humongous project be funded and under what repayment terms?”

On the petition he submitted to the tribunal, Isiaka said he had won in 14 out of 20 local governments in the state, going by the field reports from his party agents and accused officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of conniving with some leaders of APC in the state to manipulate the results of the election, which he claimed was in his favour.

He said, “On the night of that election and as polling booth results filtered in across the state, I had a clear lead in 14 local governments while the gap was very close in the six other council areas of Ogun Central Senatorial district and Ado-Odo-Ota in Ogun West Senatorial district.

“Let it be stated that I have obtained copies of the complete results and we have done our due diligence on it.

“We have got briefs from our officers on the field that day and I must state that the result is a manifestation of unprecedented manipulation, falsification of results, usage of uncollected PVCs by unauthorised and unaccredited APC supporters, usage of fake polling booths and several other infractions.

“In few weeks, events will begin to unfold at the tribunal”.