A gubernatorial aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Gbenga Adegbola, has raised alarm over what he described as persistent neglect and underdevelopment in the Oke-Ogun region, warning that the area risks being left further behind if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking during a recent engagement in Saki on Saturday, Adegbola painted a bleak picture of life in Saki and the wider Oke-Ogun zone, lamenting chronic infrastructure deficits, poor road networks, and what he termed “systemic marginalization” of the people.
“I left Saki in darkness, and I also met Saki in darkness,”emphasizing the lack of progress in the area over the years. “We have not gotten anything right, especially in Oke-Ogun—bad roads, infrastructural decay in everything is moving backwards.”
The APC chieftain did not mince words in describing the plight of residents, stating that the people of Oke-Ogun have been “purely marginalized.” He questioned the legacy current leadership would leave behind, expressing concern about how future generations would judge the present state of development.
“What are we going to tell our great-grandchildren?” he asked. “That we met this place in darkness and left it in darkness? We should wake up from our slumber.”
Adegbola’s remarks come amid growing concerns about uneven development across Oyo State, with stakeholders frequently calling for greater attention to rural and semi-urban communities in the northern part of the state.
Addressing his gubernatorial ambition, Adegbola described Oyo as a “unique state” with distinct challenges requiring strategic leadership. While acknowledging the complexities of governance, he expressed confidence in his party’s ability to navigate them.
“Oyo State is unique,” he said. “When APC gets to the river, it will know how to cross it.”