Politics

AMBO Media Fires Back: No Federal Panel Indicted Oyebamiji or Oyetola Over Baro Port

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 30th, 2025.

AMBO Media Fires Back: No Federal Panel Indicted Oyebamiji or Oyetola Over Baro Port

Our attention at the Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) Media Fronts has been drawn to misinformation circulating that Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, HE Adegboyega Oyetola, have been indicted over Baro Inland Port project, which was inaugurated in January 2019 by late President Muhammadu Buhari but which the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of the Baro Inland Port has revisited and requested the management of NIWA and Marine and Blue Economy ministry to provide clarification.

We dispel the sensational claim that ex-Governor Oyetola and Asiwaju Oyebamiji are being investigated by the House of Representatives committee for corruption arising from the Baro port project, as no corruption allegation was or has been levelled against the two gentlemen as being speculated by the despicable fake news mongers.

As earlier noted, the Baro Inland Port project was commissioned in January 2019, clear four years before Oyetola and Oyebamiji were appointed to serve in their current roles in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and National Inland Waterways Authority respectively; so they have no link or connection to the contract as the swines and sociopaths behind the malicious news want the public to believe.

We state that in response to the friendly Invitation of the House Committee, our Principal, Asiwaju Oyebamiji on Tuesday, 29th July, 2025, made a Presentation to the fact-finding committee, highlighting the history of the port (which was established in 1908 by the colonial government of Lord Fredrick Lugard but which was enhanced by the Alhaji Tafawa Balewa government in 1953) and the current status of the project.

In his Address, the NIWA boss maintained that the port was fully built and commissioned in January 2019, marking a major milestone in the historical edifice, but that the facility had not been operational because of poor road and rail connections. Specifically, he said that Baro-Minna-Zaria-Kano rail line, which hitherto was operational, had become inactive, thereby reducing key transport advantages. Oyebamiji also hinted that the access roads to the port location, Gege, Kogi State (116km) and Agaie, the headquarters of the Local Government (48.6km), are in bad conditions, severely limiting movement and hampering logistics. He sought the assistance of the Committee in ensuring that the connecting roads are rehabilitated and the Port is reconnected to the national rail grid to boost regional mobility. He assured the Committee of the NIWA’s readiness to guide the operational phase of the project to enhance economic growth and national prosperity. Thrilled by NIWA’s presentation, members of the Committee took turn to salute AMBO for his address, as well as his leadership at the National Inland Waterways Authority, promising that Ministry of Works and Nigerian Railway Corporation would be contacted to provide the needed solution for full operation of the port. The session ended on a convivial note as the Committee requested Oyebamiji and Minister Oyetola to be part of their team as they conduct next week a physical inspection of the port and the adjoining infrastructure needing rehabilitations.

Strangely, this issue-solving engagement is what some maniacal mob are now distorting to drive home their selfish and insane narrative. Would a Committee hunting corrupt officials praise them for their good presentation and invite them for a joint on-the-spot assessment?

We understand that the intention of the political jobbers and falsehood merchants behind the mudslinging is to soil the image and prestige of Oyebamiji and stunt his rising popularity among Osun public who are resolved to vote out the lacklustre bumbler in the Bola Ige House. But they have failed in their machination as the Osun people, who are excited about the AMBO 2026 project (having decided that his good reputation and excellent track-records in commercial banking and public financing are big capitals lacking in the current government) will not fall for the evil plot designed to reduce our principal to their pitiable level—in the mud, where their sponsors are wallowing owing to the current EFCC investigation for funneling into their private bank accounts local government allocations running into several billions of naira.

Signed:

Adebayo Adedeji

Coordinator, AMBO Media Fronts

30th July, 2025