Ijesa people will decide when it is time to vote, Oba Aromolaran tells PDP guber candidate, Adeleke

The Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Oba Gabriel Aromolaran has said he will meet with his people and decide who to vote in the July 16 governorship election in the state.

The Owa Obokun said this when he received the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State, and its governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke in his palace in Ilesa on Thursday.

He also disagreed with Adeleke over the upgrade of the College of Education, Ilesa to a University.

While speaking earlier, Adeleke had berated the Gboyega Oyetola-led administration of reneging on its promise to upgrade the institution. He promised that if elected governor, his administration would make it a priority to establish a university in the town.

He also decried the state of infrastructure and developments in Ijesha land.

Director-General of Adeleke campaign organisation, Sunday Bisi said: “Osun is not that in good condition. What is important to Ijesha is establishing a university, I won’t comment on the upgrade that Oyetola announced but I will tell you that during the administration of PDP between 2003 to 2010, the day we announced that we will establish a university was the day we commence foundation laying. Osun State University is one of the best today with six campuses. We never played politics with establishing a university nor announce it in vain.

Adeleke also added: “Osun is suffering too much, we are tired of promise and fail. The road is bad, it is even worse in Ilesha senatorial District. When we are coming to the palace, the people thronged out to meet us, lamenting that they are suffering. The roads in Ilesha are bad even the road that led to the palace is in a bad condition.

“In 2018, I talked about university for Ijesha people, when I raised it, they said they will also do it. If they are truly willing to do it they ought to have taken steps since he assumed office, by now the university ought to have commenced operating now. I am promising you that when I get to the office I will start what is called procedure and when we proceed like this, the university will start operating. Give us your royal blessing.”

Responding, Owa Obokun said: “You are here to visit us, we are not here to abuse anybody. You said the other time that the people of Ijesha are suffering, we are hungry truly but God will continue to feed us. In Ijesha, we are independent of the government, we built the palace ourselves without collecting a dime from outsiders. The only thing we demanded from the governor was to help us inaugurate it.

‘’We don’t need any money from anybody. We built a hospital for the aged. The appeal I want to make is that when you become the governor, don’t forget us. I am grateful for visiting us, we are very fine.

“After this palace, the current governor approved the upgrade of our university. They will start very soon. You know when the government makes the pronouncement of upgrading the College of Education to a university, the government follows the law, everything and action of government must be gazetted,. The present government is working on the gazette before June 2022, they will start the upgrade to university. They cannot announce it in a day and change it to a university that same day, it is not possible!

“Not that they just make the announcement, it requires time and several steps. It is not possible for government not to make a promise and not fulfil it. I congratulate the Ijesha people for the promise which has come to fruition. We are united in Ijesha over the matter.

“When we want to vote I will hold meetings with my people to decide who to vote for. We don’t have rebels in Ijesha.”