The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has expressed deep concern over Governor Seyi Makinde’s alleged conversion of vast agricultural lands into housing estates, warning that the trend could exacerbate the ongoing food crisis and intensify hunger across the state.
In a statement released over the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, accused the Makinde-led administration of prioritizing urbanization and revenue generation at the expense of food security and the livelihoods of local farmers.
“In recent times, Governor Makinde’s administration has come under heavy criticism for the commercialization or outright sale of government-owned properties and the acquisition of lands belonging to private individuals and families under the guise of ‘overriding public interest’,” the statement read.
Sadare alleged that estate developers, acting on behalf of the state government, have begun clearing tree crops and displacing farmers in parts of Akinyele and Ido local government areas, replacing productive farmland with residential developments.
“The level of hardship inflicted on the masses by this administration has reached an unbearable peak. On a daily basis, the Makinde government appears to exploit the poor under the pretense of urban renewal and internally generated revenue drives,” he said.
“As traders and small business owners are forcefully evicted from their premises, farmers are now being displaced from their farmlands. Their growing crops are being destroyed to make way for housing projects.”
According to the APC, hundreds of local farmers in Idi-Igbaro and Akufo (Ido LGA), as well as Ajibade, Olosa-Oko, Alaase, Alagbaa, Oloje, Elekuru, and Agbirigidi (Akinyele LGA), have recently suffered massive losses due to the alleged destruction of their crops by agents of the state.
“Thousands of cocoa, cashew, mango, oil palm, and coffee trees—as well as arable crops like maize, cassava, yam, and vegetables—have been uprooted. This is happening at a time when food scarcity and high prices are already burdening citizens,” Sadare said.
The APC contrasted the situation in Oyo with states like Niger, Borno, Kebbi, and Kwara, which they claim are actively supporting local farmers. The party accused Governor Makinde of misleading the public with claims of promoting agribusiness, despite actions that allegedly undermine agricultural sustainability.
“With its fertile land and favorable weather, Oyo State should be a major contributor to global agricultural markets. Instead, it cannot boast of a single agricultural export, which is a national embarrassment,” the statement concluded.
