Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has directed the management of Ibadan Local Governments Properties Company Limited to make the premises of Mapo Hall in Ibadan available to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its presidential campaign rally.

The directive followed an earlier report that the APC had been denied access to the venue because it had already been booked by another applicant for the same date.

According to the report, the management of the facility had informed the party in a rejection letter that its proposed date was unavailable because another applicant had booked the venue earlier.

However, following the report, Makinde directed the management to release the premises to the APC and provide a suitable alternative venue for the applicant who had earlier paid to use the facility.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring equal access to public facilities for all political parties, irrespective of their political affiliations.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Makinde maintained that no political party should be discriminated against if it fulfilled the established requirements for using public facilities.

He said, “No political party should be denied access to public facilities in Oyo State provided the established requirements for their use are duly satisfied.”

The governor stressed that public assets belonged to the people of the state and must be managed transparently, fairly and without partisan considerations.

“Public assets belong to the people of Oyo State and must be administered in a manner that is transparent, equitable, and devoid of partisan considerations,” he said.

Makinde explained that access to government-owned facilities remained subject to established procedures and regulations designed to ensure their proper use, maintenance and the preservation of public order.

He added that political parties and other organisations that met the stipulated conditions should not be subjected to discrimination or unjust restrictions when seeking access to such facilities.

The governor also urged political actors to conduct their activities peacefully and responsibly, while calling on relevant authorities to handle requests for the use of public facilities professionally and impartially.

He reiterated that providing a level playing field for political stakeholders was essential to strengthening democracy and ensuring that parties had equal opportunities to engage with the electorate within the framework of the law.