Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, was agog Sunday as the newly elected governor of the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke and his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, were sworn in by the Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo.
Making his inaugural speech at the Osogbo township stadium, where the event was held, Governor Adeleke noted that he would correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration which are against the collective interest of the people.
Adeleke equally nullified all fresh appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by the immediate past administration with effect from July 17, 2022.
According to him, “Since Osun people elected me as your governor on the 16th of July 2022, which the INEC announced on July 17th, 2022, the former governor, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, maliciously started putting road blocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you.”
He noted that: “Mass employment were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.”
He affirmed that appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process.
Adeleke equally stressed that all efforts to get the governor set up a transition committee and submit hand-over notes in line with best practices proved abortive.
He said: “It is therefore this administration’s desire to ask for people’s patience and understanding to give his administration a few weeks to review and sort out all the actions and malicious confusions which the immediate past administration has created since July 17th 2022.”
He posited that those actions were indeed vindictive measures against the people of Osun State for voting them out of office.
Adeleke also issued directives which will be backed up with appropriate executive orders with the immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions, immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets.
The governor had earlier called for the immediate reversal to the constitutionally recognised name of Osun State, while all government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun State rather than State of Osun which is unknown to the Nigerian constitution
Adeleke opined that he was aware of the fact that his responsibility as the governor and chief security officer of the state entails meeting the legitimate expectations of the people.
He therefore promised that the expectations of the workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders and indeed all residents of the state will be met.
“Let me state here that from the education, health, mining sector, agriculture, road infrastructure and supply of potable water, let it be known to all that it is no longer going to be business as usual. And I repeat, it is no longer business as usual.
“Our administration will demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease and poor infrastructure.
“Your governor will be a people’s governor. I will be accessible, responsive, consultative and proactive in handling small and big matters of state governance. I know that as a product of the collective will of you my people, there is a heavy weight of history on my shoulders and I accept the urgency of your expectations, the depth of your aspirations and your conviction in me to build a better state,” he said.
Adeleke also listed his priority development agenda for the state, which include welfare of workers and pensioners, boosting the state’s economy, home-grown infrastructure policy, oeople-focused policy on education, affordable healthcare, security and social welfare; agro-based industrialization for wealth and job creation.
“It was disheartening to see our state at the bottom of the national educational ratings especially in public primary and secondary schools examinations. My administration will launch reform with direct focus on improvement of learning environment and outcome. Our target is to reverse the poor performance of students in public examinations within the next few years.
“To achieve this target, we will prioritise in-service training and welfare of teachers, enhancement of school environment, entrenchment of discipline in the school system, as well as involvement of the Parents-Teachers Association in our school administration system,” Adeleke said.
Speaking on security, he pointed out that he would embark on a security sector reform that will target crime prevention, detection, neighbourhood policing and better synergy among security agencies.
He posited that the Amotekun Corps will be strengthened while his administration will ensure operational linkage between local hunters and the Amotekun Corps.
The governor therefore expressed his appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing a conducive, peaceful, free and fair election in Osun State.
He also thanked the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and his National Working Committee for their immeasurable support, as well as the presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Vice-Presidential candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, all PDP governors, the Minority caucuses of the Senate, House of Representatives and Osun State House of Assembly and other party stakeholders who stood by Osun State to reclaim the mandate which was stolen four years ago.
Guests at the swearing-in included PDP vice-presidetial candidate Okowa; Otunba Oyewole Fasawe; wife of the PDP presidential candidate, Mrs Titi Atiku Abubakar; Lagos PDP governorship aspirant, Adediran-Jandor; Senator Francis Fadahunsi; former Osun Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada; and Hon. Oluwole Oke, among many others.
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