Osun flyover: Adeleke accuses politicians of sabotage, orders tighter security

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has condemned the alleged sabotage of a section of the newly commissioned Lameco Bridge in Osogbo, accusing unnamed politicians of sponsoring the vandalisation of public infrastructure for political gain.

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The governor made the allegation on Friday after inspecting the affected section of the bridge, where he also directed immediate security surveillance of major public infrastructure across the state.

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A statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said Adeleke received a briefing from engineers in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure before expressing concern over the incident and a similar reported case at the Lagere Flyover.

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Describing the alleged acts as anti-development, the governor said politicians should focus on presenting their records and programmes to voters rather than destroying public assets.

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“This is no longer politics.

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“Election is about the people voting for the leaders of their choice. Our job as politicians is to market our plans and records. Why would any genuine politician arrange to destroy a beautiful edifice like the Lameco Bridge because of an election? That conduct is a hate crime against the people of Osun State.

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“It is so immoral that Osun APC is not even ashamed of its masterminding such sabotage. I call on politicians to play the politics of development. These infrastructures were built with public funds. Why should we endanger the lives of our people and waste public resources simply because of elections?” Adeleke said.

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The governor commended engineers from the Ministry of Works for their prompt response and ordered enhanced surveillance of public infrastructure across the state.

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“I hereby direct immediate surveillance and monitoring of key infrastructures. We must secure public assets in the best interest of the state and her residents,” he said.

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The Lameco Flyover was temporarily closed to traffic after a structural defect was discovered less than a month after it was commissioned on July 1.

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The development has sparked political controversy, with the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party alleging sabotage by elements within the opposition All Progressives Congress.

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APC, however, dismissed the claim and argued that the defects pointed to possible structural deficiencies in the project.

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The APC has called for an independent structural integrity assessment of the bridge, while the state government maintains that the damage was caused by deliberate vandalism.

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