There will be a change of baton in Ondo State next month. Governor Olusegun Mimiko will bow out of office after the expiration of his two terms of eight years. Correspondent DAMISI OJO highlights the challenges that will confront the Akeredolu administration and people’s expectations about the new dawn.
Rotimi Akeredolu, lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is warming up for the task of governance in Ondo State. On February 24, he will receive the mantle of leadership from Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is bowing out after spending eight years in office. Can the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain make a difference in the Alagabaka Government House?
The governor-elect is a lucky man. He will not be diverted by protracted litigations, unlike his predecessor, who was in court for 22 months fighting to reclaim his stolen mandate. It is evident that he will savour a smooth transition. He has made peace, in the interim, with Mimiko by trying to commend his achievements. Various committees saddled with the transition assignment have swung into action.
However, the new governor will inherit some challenges. Akeredolu is assuming the reins in an atmosphere of a malevolent economy. He will have to contend with dwindling federal allocation and internally generated revenue. Labour dispute may be imminent, unless efforts are made to quickly paid the seven months salaries owed to public workers. The intra-party struggle for slots in the State Executive Council may generate tension. Beneficiaries of on-going projects will agitate for their completion.
Next month, the APC will become a ruling party. Following the controversial primary, it became a polarised platform. Some chieftains are still aggrieved. Automatically, the governor becomes the party leader and arrowhead. The question is: can Akeredolu unite the party?
Many stakeholders have described his victory as an act of God. The legal luminary has had his baptism of fire twice. As the governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), he failed at the poll four years ago. There was no primary in 2012. Party leaders, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, ensured that he emerged as the flag bearer on merit. But, Akeredolu came a distant third, trailing Chief Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mimiko, who won a second term.
However, his victory in last year’s election has implications for the progressive bloc in Ondo State. It could be said that progressives are now back in power after the exit of Governor Adebayo Adefarati, who rule the state between 1999 and 2003. This may also be the crux of the matter. The APC has progressive policies and programmes, unlike the conservative platforms that have bestrode the state for 15 years.
Following the emergence of Akeredolu as the governor-elect, his Owo country home has become a ‘Mecca’ of sorts, particularly for those looking for political patronage and appointments, although he has maintained that he has not promised anybody any position.
But, his pre-inauguration ad hoc appointments are a pointer to bi-partisanship. Akeredolu has appointed Former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Funsho Kupolokun as the Chairman of the transition committee. He has charged the technocrat to ensure a smooth transition, meet relevant stakeholders before the inauguration and submit a report on February 20. Other committees include the Inauguration Committee headed by Chief Jamiu Ekungba, the Strategic
Policy and Implementation Committee, the Information and Media Committee, Agriculture and Natural Natural Resources Committee and the Education, Science and Technology Committee.
Akeredolu reiterated his commitment to the development of the state and welfare of the people. He promised to uphold the cardinal principles of the APC and serve the state with all his strength and vigour so that it can become the envy of other states.
Kupolokun urged the governor-elect to look beyond the monthly federal allocation, saying that it could not cater for the needs of the state. He said: “The era of total reliance on monthly federal allocation has gone. Hence, the need for the state to develop means of generating funds to cater for the needs of the people. It is therefore, important for the incoming administration to look inward for ways of generating money to run the affairs of the state.”
Stakeholders, including traditional rulers, community leaders, traders, politicians, and artisans, have spoken on their expectations about the new government.
A monarch in Akoko Northwest, Oba Olusegun Atibioke, urged Akeredolu to see Mimiko as a partner in progress, stressing that government is a continuum. According to the royal father, Akeredolu should be more closer to God than the people for God to direct him positively. He urged the governor-elect to offer improved welfare package for the people, particularly traditional rulers and public servants. He also urged him to sustain religious harmony in the state.
A community leader,Chief Owolabi Abanikannda from Oke-Agbe Akoko, advised the incoming APC government to give priority to water supply in Akokoland and other parts of the state. He lamented that the Awara Water Project in Ikare-Akoko has failed to yield the desired result. Besides, Abanikanda called for the recruitment of more health and para-medical workers and the completion of the Oke-Alabojuto-Ikare-Oyin-Okeagbe Road flagged off by Mimiko.
The community leader pleaded for the regular payment of salaries to workers and stipends to pensioners. He said the governor-elect should not to allow the notion that an Owo man would humiliate Akokos to become a reality. “All moribund industries across the state should be revamped to facilitate employment opportunities,” he added.
A commentator, Olujimi Adekanle, said the in-coming administration should carry out a holistic staff audit of the civil service to ascertain the true number of staff. He noted that the figure was over bloated by the past administration. Also, Adekanle urged Akeredolu to probe the Wealth Creation Agency (WECA), alleging that it was characterised by fraud.
His words:” It was on paper that N2b was spent on palm seedlings in 2011. The governor-elect should ask them where the palm trees are? Also, what the agency did with the N2b naira agriculture funding from CBN in 2015.
“The destruction of Owena Motels for Shoprite while the last government refused to use the idle trade fair complex, which is just 200metres away from Owena Motels. Who are the owners of the shops in Shoprite?
“Akeredolu should, as a matter of urgency, approach the Benin Electricity Development Corporation (BEDC) for the restoration of light to the Southern Senatorial District, which has been in darkness for close to four years”.
Adekanle also charged the new governor to make sure that salaries are paid to workers and pensions to retirees, in fulfilment of his campaign promises. He also enjoined him to renovate the abandoned primary schools and convert the mega schools built by Mimiko to hospitals to boost medical delivery services in the state.
He added: “The Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) should be restructured as it is a ghost of itself. A panel of enquiry should be set up to ascertain the true position of the Outside Broadcasting Van (OB Van)that was bought for the cooperation at a whooping cost of N400m that never worked for a day.
“The Dome should be privatised immediately to boost the IGR of the state and finally, Akeredolu should not be sectional in his appointments. He should look for good hands to help him in the management of the state. Not like the immediate governor that has five of his siblings in sensitive and lucrative agencies as heads despite that they are not capable of being in such office.
A Special Assistant(SA) to Governor Mimiko on Social Media, Sunday Menukuro, said Akeredolu should expect agitations for employment from the people because of the high rate of unemployed graduates roaming the streets.
He should also settle outstanding salaries of public servants and build on various laudable projects of Mimiko’s administration, rather than scrapping it, he added.
The deputy governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party(SDP), Erelu Modupe Akindele Martins, urged the incoming administration to pay workers outstanding salaries and give priority to industrialization. She also called for the implementation of 35 per cent mandatory right for women in the sharing of political positions.
A former Commissioner for Transport, Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, charged Akeredolu to complete viable on-going projects, improve the health sector and allow local governments to operate independently to ensure better service delivery to the grassroots.
A retiree, Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani, urged Akeredolu to assemble trusted politicians and seasoned technocrats into his cabinet. He also called for autonomy for local government councils. He said the free shuttle bus system for school children initiated by Mimiko should be sustained.
All Progressives Congress(APC) chieftain Adebowale Akinlosotu advised the governor-elect to provide enabling environment for agriculture, enterpreneurship, technology and infrastructural development.
He also urged him to empower the youths through skill acquisition and micro-credit loan.
A petty trader, Funmilayo Salami, urged Akeredolu to govern with human face.
According to her, the manner the outgoing government has been generating revenue is too harsh on low income earners, especially petty traders, shop owners and road transporters.
Besides, she called for the constitution of Commodity Price Control Board to regulate the rising cost of goods in the market.
END
Be the first to comment