The winner of Osun Gubernatorial election, Gov Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was on Sunday sworn in as the sixth executive governor of the State.
This is even as he ordered the immediate freezing of the state’s bank accounts shortly after his inauguration.
Chief Judge of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo, administered the oath of office on Adeleke at the Osogbo City Stadium.
Justice Ojo also administered the oath of allegiance on Adeleke’s deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi.
Adeleke succeeded former Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
He directed the immediate return to status quo ante, all appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by Oyetola’s administration from July 17, the day after the governorship election in the state.
Adeleke noted that a panel would be set up to conduct an inventory of government assets and recover those that were diverted.
The governor also ordered the reversal of the Constitutionally-recognised name of the state as Osun State from “State of Osun’’.
Recall that a one-time governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, now Minister of Interior changed the name from Osun State to State of Osun.
Adeleke said, "All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun State, rather than `State of Osun’, which is unknown to the Nigerian Constitution."
He assured that he would correct all the past injustices, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration that are against the collective interest of Osun people.
Adeleke assured that all the directives he issued on Sunday (today) would be backed with appropriate executive orders.
He promised to meet the yearnings and expectations of his people as the Chief Security Officer of the state.
Adeleke noted that his administration would demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, diseases, and poor infrastructure in the state.
He promised that all anti-policies that militated against the growth and progress of the local government administration would be reviewed in accordance with the law.
The governor assured labour unions in the state of his administration’s willingness to protect workers’ interests and to promote their welfare at all times, promising that he would be labour-friendly.
This is even as he frowned at what he described as mass employment without financial backing by the immediate past administration.
He pleaded with workers to give him few weeks to review and sort out all “malicious actions and confusions’’ which the immediate past administration created since July 17.
The governor also promised to fulfil his campaign promises such as welfare of workers and pensioners; boosting the state’s economy, home-grown infrastructure policy and people-focused policy on education.
Others are affordable healthcare, security, social welfare and agro-based industrialisation for wealth and job creation.
He stated that as a former lawmaker and graduate of criminal justice, that he recognised the importance of collaboration between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
Adeleke pleaded with all the political parties to unite in the best interest of the state, assuring to treat Osun people equally irrespective of differences in language, faith, political affiliation or any other considerations.
BOblog reports that dignitaries at the inauguration included Governors Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Udom Emmanuel, of Akwa Ibom, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Aminu Tambuwal of Kano, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
Others were PDP’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his wife Titi; PDP National Chairman, Mr Iyiorcha Ayu, and former Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki.
Also, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose, Tony Elumelu, and David Adeleke, aka Davido, among others were part of the dignitaries that graced the occasion.
Lagos PDP Congratulates Adeleke, Preaches Good Governance
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, on Sunday congratulated Sen. Ademola Adeleke on his swearing-in as the governor of Osun.
The party in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr Hakeem Amode, said that Adeleke’s swearing-in bestowed on him greater responsibilities to drive the PDP's developmental agenda.
Amode said that Adeleke’s victory at the polls was an evidence of his past achievements in his political career, urging him to extol good governance in the state.
He requested that Lagos state and Osun PDP should be partners in progress.
I Left N14bn For My Successor–Oyetola
The out-going governor of Osun, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, said that he left N14 billion in the state’s coffers for his successor, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.
In his farewell message released in Osogbo on Sunday by Mr Ismaila Omipidan, his media aide, Oyetola stated that his administration paid N97 billion debt that he inherited in 2018, when he assumed office.
Oyetola declared that his administration did not borrow any money from anywhere to finance the state’s economy, stressing that he kept faith and maintained fidelity with his electoral promises throughout his tenure.
He added, "In addition to the N14 billion cash, another N8 billion is being expected between December and January 2023 from our performance in States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability programme, SFTAS, and from Internally Generated Revenue.'
SFTAS is a government programme designed to advance fiscal transparency, accountability and sustainability of states of the federation.
Oyetola maintained that for four years, that the state didn't collect any bank loan.
He pointed out that the state benefitted from the N3 billion monthly interventions by the Federal Government to all the states for six months, to enable them cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailouts collected by the previous administration.
The out-going governor added that the state is also expecting $72 million from other programmes and from the NG-CARES programme of the Federal Government and among others.
He disclosed that Osun was more stable economically than he met it in 2018, despite all the visible socio-economic challenges that confronted the state.
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