2023: Don’t elect people with nothing to offer, Fayemi admonishes Nigerians

…inaugurates network of roads in Osun

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has urged Nigerians not to elect those who have nothing to offer in 2023.

Fayemi made the call on Monday in Osogbo, Osun State, at the inauguration of the reconstructed 10-kilometer Osogbo (Lameco)- Okinni- Ilobu -Ifon with spur to Olobu’s palace and the 18.04-kilometer Osogbo – Kelebe -Iragbiji roads, including access road to Orita Idi Odan – Araromi – Anaye market.

The immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) noted that leaders are not elected to lament to the people but rather for them to proffer solutions to any lingering problem.

“For me, it is absolutely important that we must not give national government to those who don’t know what to do with it without lamentation. 

“We are not elected to lament to our people that there is no money, we are not elected to complain to our people that there is no money. We are elected to provide solution,” he said.

Fayemi described Governor Gboyega Oyetola as a financial wizard and Mr. Solution.

He said he learnt from Oyetola how to use alternative funding mechanism to accomplish tremendous progress in infrastructure development.

“As progressives, we are extremely proud of your accomplishments in this state. But I can assure you that history will be kind to you, posterity will serve you right and our people will eventually come to recognize how much of a sacrifice you have made on their behalf in order to demonstrate the capacity you have to make good governance available.

“Our colleagues admire you for what we describe as your magic wand. And I know this as the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. We know what comes to the state by way of allocation, we know what the IGR is in this state.

“We know the burden you are carrying since you assumed duty here as governor in Osun and if we were to do a mathematical equation and put all of this together, visa vis what you have been able to deliver on infrastructure, on social welfare to the people on good governance you can only be a magician because the mathematics would not produce the appropriate answer.

“In your own case, two plus two is 10, where you found the six we all have to find out how you have done it, but have asked you many times and I could only commend your creativity, your innovation, your huge sacrifice to Osun people. Many will not realize it now.

“So for me as your brother as your political associate as your mentee who has learned from your feet on some of these financial wizardry. “We are proud and we congratulate you for these accomplishments, but I also want to say in case people think that it’s over the job is not finished,” Fayemi added.

In his remarks, Oyetola said his administration ‘is resolute to continue to deliver on his promise until the last road in Osun is in good standing’.

The governor, who reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continuously setting Osun on the world map of socio-economic development, noted that the successful completion of most of the road projects was in fulfillment of the desire of his administration to fix the failed road infrastructure not minding the classification, whether they belong to federal, state or local government, for the comfort of the citizens and residents of Osun.

Earlier in his welcome address, Commissioner for Works and Transport, Remi Omowaye, said the state decided to construct the road despite the fact that it is owned by the Federal Government because of its socioeconomic impact on the people of the state.