Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State says while he does not have money to purchase private jets for monarchs or hard currencies to splash around for citizens, he is endowed with the capacity to transform Osun through good governance.
Oyetola, while speaking at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, during the flag-off of his re-election campaign in Ile-Ife, said Osun was too sophisticated to be governed by kindergarten politicians seeking to experiment with Osun.
He added that because he is a man of peace and believer in the fact that politics is not do-or-die affair, he is not interested in fire-for-fire approach espoused by a certain governorship aspirant.
“I am happy that the Ooni knows that I have good intention to govern this state. I may not be able to buy private jets, but I have all it takes to fix Osun. I don’t have hard currencies to splash around and I don’t believe in fire-for-fire approach, but I am confident of victory in the next governorship election because of the modest achievements of our administration and the wide acceptance from our people in the last three-and-a-half years.
“What we have done across sectors is evident for people to see. We have proved to our people that Osun is in safe hands in view of the equitable distribution of resources that had culminated into the development that our people have been witnessing in the nooks and crannies of the state.
“As you all know, a state like Osun is too sophisticated for kindergarten politicians to govern. It is costly to allow such people experiment with Osun.
“In view of the way we have been managing the meagre resources at our disposal, coupled with the attendant challenges that we have successfully surmounted since assumption of office, it is instructive for discerning minds to know that governance is a serious task that cannot be left in the hands of mediocres,” he said.
The governor also lauded the people of Osun, particularly residents of Ile-Ife for their unflinching support, cooperation and prayers for his administration, which he said have been the foundation of the success recorded so far.
Oyetola, who reeled out some of his achievements across various sectors, promised that his administration would not relent in delivering democratic dividends for all and sundry.
He attributed the decision to flag off his re-election campaign in Ife to the strong successes and victories the town had brought to his party in the past elections.
“There is no seed we plant in Ife that doesn’t sprout, this explained why we are flagging off our campaign from Ife. We appreciate the people of Ife, we do not joke with this town and we will never stop prioritising the welfare, wellbeing and overall development of Ife, and indeed the entire Osun.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that dividends of democracy are equitably spread across the nooks and crannies of the State, just as we have spread our health and infrastructure interventions around, among many other interventions”, Oyetola added.
In his remark, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, lauded Oyetola for justifying the mandate of Osun people, saying that he had done excellently well across sectors.
Oba Ogunwusi, who described Oyetola as a complete gentleman, highly intelligent and calculated leader, said what has endeared him the most to the governor is his demonstrable capacity to govern Osun.
“We thank the governor for doing so much great works with less noise. Quietly but steadily, he has set the state in a progressive path.
“You are doing excellently well, and we pray God Almighty to continue to support your quest to see Osun develop. It is indeed true that your first term had brought so many goodies to citizens and we pray God to grant your desire to serve the State for second term”, Ooni said.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, who hails from Ife, charged his kinsmen to show appreciation through their votes for the many good fortunes that Oyetola has brought to Ife in particular and Osun in general.
According to him: “Ife is regarded as our source and that is why we are flagging off our Party’s campaign from Ife. If we have been trusted that much and regarded as deserving of this honour, we must not disappoint. We must show appreciation, not just for this gesture but for other good fortunes Governor Oyetola has brought to Ife.
“We assure the Governor that we are solidly behind him. We have to show that we are really the source. We have to show that Ife has become the defacto secretariat of APC.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the APC in Osun, Prince Gboyega Famodun, appreciated the people of Ife for their cooperation and support for the Oyetola-led administration. He added that Oyetola remains the best candidate that will deliver good leadership and progress for Osun.
“This is the Party and the Governor that can assure our progress. Others who are parading themselves as governorship candidates have nothing to offer the state,” Famodun said.
In his welcome address, the Senate Spokesperson and Director-General of the Osun APC Campaign Council, Senator Ajibola Basiru, described the decision to flag off the campaign in Ife as symbolic and strategic.
According to him, the good works of Oyetola and the prayers he has received from Ife will earn him victory in the July 16 governorship election.
Shortly after the session in the palace, Oyetola headed to Enuwa Square, the venue of the campaign where he addressed the mammoth crowd of party members and supporters as well as residents of Ife.
