The rift between Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and the ousted council officials may be nearing resolution.
This positive turn of events follows the intervention of the Minister of Power, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu, who visited the Governor’s office on Monday, January 15, for a working visit.
The Nation reports that in the entourage of the Minister on the visit was the ex-chairman of the sacked ALGON members, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, whom the Governor sacked on his assumption of office.
A source privy to the meeting informed The Nation that, “Today, peace has been brokered between the State government and the sacked members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) as Governor Seyi Makinde promises to release the fund immediately.
“The Minister of Power, Chief Adelabu, intervened in the crisis by appealing to the state government and representative of the Ex-ALGON represented by Prince Aleshinloye to embrace peace.
“The Minister intervened on Monday at the state secretariat during a working visit to the state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde earlier today.
“This came as the former ALGON Chairman was in the entourage of the Minister, who was on a working visit to the state.
“Earlier on, the Governor jokingly threw banter immediately; he sighted Aleshinloye, who was seated in one corner of the Executive Chamber during the courtesy visit, when he jokingly said, I can see Aleshinloye in this office that he did not follow the Minister on the working visit, but he only came here to remind me of their money. The banter sent everyone laughing.”
According to the source, Adelabu intervened in a private meeting with the Governor and Prince Abass-Aleshinloye. In the meeting, the Governor pledged to resolve the outstanding debt promptly.
“Before they went into a closed door, some of the Governor’s Executive Assistants and some on the Minister’s entourage, including Hon Olayemi Gbenga and Chief Segun Olalere, were sighted as they engaged in discussion while others exchanged banters.
“In the ensuing development, Governor Makinde later proceeded to shake hands and briefly exchange pleasantries with Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye after the meeting, which ended on a peaceful note“,
the source added.