DAMISI OJO, Akure
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday declared his intention to succeed himself in office after the expiration of the present tenure in February 24, 2025.
He is joining scores of other aspirants within the ruling All Progressives Congress,(APC) who are jostling for Alagbaka Government House ahead of the next month primaries to determine the APC Candidate for the November governorship election.
At the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade in Akure, the state capital where Governor Aiyedatiwa declared his intention to contest the poll,he recalled the last three years ago, when the former Governor, Late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and himself as Deputy Governor, mounted the soap box to seek peoples’ support to govern the state which they gave them under a joint ticket of the APC.
Aiyedatiwa enthused that with no time upon assumption of office, they emplaced transformational policies and programmes which have no doubt impacted positively on the development of the Sunshine State.
According to him” Our score cards speak glowingly on infrastructural development and provision of social amenities including roads, education and health”.
He also noted that they paraded some rich credentials in industrialization, security and welfare of the people, stressing that the greatest strength today in the State, compared to other regions in Nigeria is the huge sense of security and peace being enjoyed as a result of the birth of the South West Security Network, codenamed AMOTEKUN CORPS and which form the substructures of our developmental strides as a people..
The governor gave accolades to late governor Akeredolu under whose tutelage and joint partnership they have been able to accomplish these giant strides.
Aiyedatiwa re-echoed Akeredolu wishes in his life time that he succeeds him, not in death though, as the next Governor of the State, saying the late Senior Advocate was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretense which prompted him to express this wish at different fora in both public and private.
He said” All was with one conviction and implicit confidence in me to carry on the torch of accelerated development which he lighted first in 2017 and later renewed under a joint ticket for both of us in the 2021 gubernatorial election.
“I must therefore express my profound appreciation to you for the unalloyed support and loyalty which you have extended to this administration since my assumption of office as the 7th democratically elected Governor of the Sunshine State, after the painful but glorious exit of the late governor.
“You have demonstrated the core values of resilience, audacity of courage, justice and truth passed unto us by the founding fathers of our dear State by standing up for democracy and constitutionality at a most critical time in the face of conspiracy against the State and the well-being of our people.
“I am confident that posterity will be proud of you. I dare say too with a sense of humility that our departed leader would be proud of me as a worthy constitutional successor who has not derailed on the path of development we jointly pursued.
“My dear people of Ondo State, within the short period of my assumption of office, we have put the welfare of the people first by ordering all contractors back to sites to breathe life into the hitherto abandoned projects. We championed the welfare of the workers by paying outstanding salary arrears and settled substantial amount from the gratuities of pensioners. We also ensure payment of salaries to workers as and when due, so much that we owe no kobo to workers as at today.
“Employment into critical sectors like health is also ongoing. All these combined have quickly restored the confidence of our people in the administration, a confidence that was earlier eroded by the inordinate quest of anti- democracy elements”.
Aiyedaiwa said: “Today, I have come before you in response to the popular yearnings and aspirations of our people to sustain this path of progress and development in the State. Our people and party faithfuls, through multi-dimensional platforms, have expressed their desire for the continuity of this administration beyond 2025.
“From the good people of Ilaje, Apoi and Ijaw Arogbo, through the great Ikale land of Okitipupa and Irele Lgs; from the delectable Odigbo and Idanre people to the progressive Ondos, Ifedore and Akure land; from the visionary Owo and Ose to the resilient Akoko land, the clamours for continuity have been very intense.
“To the glory of God, I parade very rich political credentials and vast experience in governance. Without being immodest, the trajectory of my experiences in governance as former Representative of Ondo State on the Board of NDDC, one-time Deputy Governor, and three times Acting Governor under our late sage and now the incumbent Governor of Ondo State are is too material to be wished away!
“The poser therefore is whether or not to respect the people’s yearnings for sustainable good governance they have enjoyed in the last seven years. The people of Ondo State must not suddenly find themselves in Egypt. Never!
“Today, I stand before you in all humility and with a fierce commitment to the greatness of our Sunshine State. I offer myself, in difference to your popular yearnings and upon wide consultations, not just to run the race, but to be the candidate of our great party, ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS in the 2024 gubernatorial election.
“I am fully prepared for this opportunity to re-enact the legacies of visionary, purposeful, competent leadership bequeathed to us by our founding fathers to build the future of Ondo State”.
The governor said his vision and mission for the people of Ondo State are greatly enriched, having served the State from 2021-2023, with his departed leader, who in no small measure was an exemplar of purposeful and courageous leadership, empathy and good governance.
Aiyedatiwa assured the citizenry of a clear agenda to sustain Ondo State on the path of glory and development, stressing that his mission would focus on key developmental issues to alleviate poverty, banish hunger and make Ondo State self-sustaining.
He said his development agenda is to emplace a State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS). which would harmonize all plans for economic development with the mission to birth policies aimed at wealth creation, employment generation, sustenance of high standard of living and consequently eradicate poverty among the people.
As the gubernatorial primary election is at hand, Aiyedatiwa emphasized the need for vote as a potent weapon that must be wisely used.
“We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this State by muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers who once governed this State handed unto our generation.
“Today, I offer myself to lead, not to rule, to respect your wishes, not to dominate you, and to lead by example of humility, good character and empathy, which I have demonstrated in office since 2021.
I remain the epitome of OMOLUABI that you have always trusted. I urge you to vote me as the candidate of the APC”, he said.
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