Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has alleged that the structural defect discovered on a section of the newly commissioned Lameco Flyover in Osogbo was the result of deliberate sabotage, accusing unnamed politicians of sponsoring the vandalisation of public infrastructure for political purposes.
The governor made the allegation on Friday after inspecting the affected section of the bridge, where he received a briefing from engineers of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure on the extent of the damage.
Reacting to the incident, Adeleke described the alleged sabotage as an attack on the people of Osun State rather than a political contest, insisting that elections should be won through performance and ideas, not the destruction of public assets.
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“This is no longer politics,” the governor said.
“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.
“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 also referenced a similar reported incident at the Lagere Flyover, expressing concern over what he described as attempts to undermine public infrastructure across the state.
The governor commended engineers from the Ministry of Works for their swift response to the defect and directed security agencies to immediately strengthen surveillance around major government projects.
“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.
The Lameco Flyover, commissioned on July 1, was temporarily closed to traffic after officials discovered a structural defect less than a month after it was opened to the public.
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The development has since sparked political controversy in the state.
While the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party backed the government’s position, alleging that elements within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) deliberately sabotaged the bridge, the APC rejected the allegation.
Instead, the opposition argued that the defect pointed to possible structural deficiencies in the project and called for an independent structural integrity assessment to determine the actual cause of the damage.
The state government, however, has maintained that the damage was caused by deliberate vandalism and insists investigations will identify those responsible.
