May 29, known as “Democracy Day” has ushered in a new twist to how politicians in the pace setter state have been going about their various political ambitions towards 2019. Before now many of them kept the ambition from the public domain , going about it with what I will call underground move , until yesterday , being “Democracy Day” , when Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in unclear terms declared his intention to contest for senate comes 2019.
Ajimobi made this known during an interactive session with the media and the people of the state on the state-owned radio and television stations. The session was also aired live on some private radio stations in the state.
The Governor said that the next governor of the state would be known by May 2018, stressing the need to have an intelligent and true leader as his successor in order to continue the work he started.
The governor revealed that although he had in the past said that he would not contest an elective position in the state again, he might consider a race to represent the state as a legislator after his tenure as governor in 2019.
The governor said already there were 34 candidates jostling to succeed him but only a few met the criteria needed because the standard of governance in the state had been raised by his administration.
“About 34 people want to become the next governor of the state but not all are qualified to be there. We have been able to raise the standard of governance in the state. I want a leader who has the courage to take decisions to succeed me. Oyo State needs an intellectual who is not afraid to take decisions. That is the kind of person I am looking for. I have seen about five people with such potential already. It is too early to start discussing this but by May 2018, I will know my successor,” said the governor.
Speaking on the possibility of running for an elective position again in the state, Ajimobi said although he had served as a senator before, he might consider a return to the National Assembly in 2019.
He said, “I might consider legislative duties (next). I have been there before (as a senator) but it depends on some things I am looking at.”
The governor also frowned on insinuations surrounding the debt profile of the state under him, saying that those peddling wrong information about the actual amount lacked the facts to back their claim.
You will recall that on the 27th of May, 2017 at the media chat, “Community Today” an online TV programme of CEOAFRICA which was themed: An Appraisal of Governor Ajimobi’s Six Years in Governance, were representatives of the Governor, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr Morounkola Thomas and the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Toye Arulogun.
Also present at the discussion session were the Oyo State General Secretary of Accord Party, Dr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran; the Publicity Secretary of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Akeem Azeez and the Administrative Secretary in charge of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Hon Alarape Asimiyu.
The Aministrative Secretary in charge of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, and former Speaker, Hon Asimiyu Alarape, accused the Governor of taking Oyo state’s debt from 4 billion naira as of when he took over in 2011 to over 100 billion naira today.
the Administrative Secretary in charge of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Hon Alarape Asimiyu
Governor Ajimobi said the state had some ‘pseudo-intellectuals’ that criticised the government out of ‘mischief’; noting that the state’s debt profile currently stood at around N4.8bn instead of the N150bn.
Ajimobi said, “Oyo State is one of the most prudent states in Nigeria in terms of finance. It is false that our debt profile has reached N150bn. Those who are saying this should come up with documents to back their claim. As I speak, this state owes only two months’ salaries to civil servants. This morning (Monday), I have approved the March 2017 salary to be paid.
“To clear the backlog, we were paying two months’ salaries every month. I am happy that the deputy governor (Moses Adeyemo), who just returned from Abuja, informed me that the Federal Government had approved another economic support for us. Sixty per cent of such money will be paid to workers, in addition to the 100 per cent allocation that we use to pay their salaries.”
Meanwhile, Hon Awoleye, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Ibadan North Constituency, on Monday 29th May declared his intention to run for Oyo State Governorship position come 2019 during the Special Democracy Day Edition of the South West Group of Online Publishers’ (SWEGOP) media chat held at CEOAfrica building in Ibadan.
Honorable Dada Awoleye
The Former Oyo State House of Assembly member stated that as a staunch member of the ruling party in the state, he will be running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that he is certain of the support of Governor Ajimobi.
Awoleye said “Contesting for the Governor of Oyo State is not something that was thought of today. I had always had the ambition to run and 2019 is the opportunity to run. In 2016, a lot of people called on me to run for the governorship position and I want to honour their call.”
With this recent development, many politicians with 2019 ambition into different office will begin to declare their intention publicly in Oyo State.
