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Ademola Adeleke sworn in as Osun governor, says no more “state of Osun”

By our reporter
It was a  glorious day in Osun state on Sunday as Ademola Adeleke was  sworn in as the state governor.
The swearing-in took place at the Osogbo city stadium.
Adeleke who was decked in richly embroidered white agbada with green and white cap to match, promised the people of the state to carry out reforms that will cut across education, security, healthcare, infrastructure, local government administration, judiciary and public service.
He said he was well aware of the expectations of the people and he will not only be servant to all,his administration will also be labour friendly.
“I am well aware of the fact that my responsibility as governor and chief security entails meeting the expectation of our people”, he said.
Adeleke, who contested the governor election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was seeking re-election.
Adeleke secured 403, 371 votes to defeat Oyetola who polled 375,027 votes.
Those who attended the inauguration include Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP; Iyorchia Ayu, PDP national chairman; Bukola Saraki, former senate president; former governors, and party chieftains
Giving a hint on the policy thrust of his administration, Governor Adeleke said  he will review decisions taken by past administrations in the state.

According to him, his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, frustrated plans to ensure a smooth handover to him.

He said since July 17, Oyetola took decisions that did not follow due process and were not in the best interest of the state.

“My good people of Osun, since you elected me as your governor on July 16, 2022, which the Independent National Electoral Commission announced on July 17, 2022, the former governor, alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, maliciously started putting roadblocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you,” he said.

“Mass employment was 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. Appointments of several obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few.

“All efforts to get the governor to set up a transition committee and submit handover notes in line with best practices proved abortive.

“It is, therefore, my desire to ask for your patience and understanding to give my administration a few weeks to review and sort out all the actions and malicious confusions which the immediate past administration has created since July 17, 2022.

“Those actions were indeed vindictive measures against the people of Osun state for voting them out of office.

“Consequently, I hereby issue the following directives which will be backed up with appropriate executive orders:

“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.

“An immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate past administration taken after July 17.

“An immediate reversal to the constitutionally recognised name of our state, Osun state. All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun state rather than state of Osun which is unknown to the Nigerian constitution.”

The state government, under the administration of Rauf Aregbesola, had announced the renaming of Osun state as “state of Osun” in 2011.

But in 2017, an Osun state high court sitting in Ilesa declared that the renaming is illegal and therefore, null and void.

Speaking further on Sunday, the governor said he is aware of his responsibilities which involve meeting the expectations of the people.

“Therefore, I promise that those expectations of the workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders, and indeed, all residents of Osun state will be met by the grace of God and the cooperation of everyone,” he said.

“Under my watch as the governor of Osun state, I will boldly correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration which are against the collective interest of our people.

“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.”

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