Politics
2019: Group Tips Ayandele As Ideal Ajimobi’s Successor
A South Western Nigeria-based socio-political group, under the aegis of Millennium Patriots Forum, has identified one of the gubernatorial hopefuls of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Dr. Olusola Ayandele, as the ideal candidate capable of taking the state to the higher level after Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The group in a statement issued and made available to journalists in Ibadan at the weekend by its National Coordinator, Chief Olawale Odu, and General Secretary, Hon. Sola Fakorede, noted that the Pacesetters State held a lot of promise since 1976 when it was created and the opportunity to fully place the state where it rightly belongs depended on who succeeds the incumbent governor in 2019.
“As the race for the occupation of Agodi Government House in 2019 gets more interesting by the day, it is imperative for all hands to be put on deck to assist the teeming electorate in determining the best man for the job since many capable hands are jostling to grab a single coveted seat.
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“Political pundits are of the opinion that most of the contenders particularly within the ruling APC are good enough to be governor in their own respective merit but only the best should be thrown up for the herculean task of governing a state like Oyo with vast population density and a lot of expectations from the outside world.
“It was on this premise that we volunteered to scrutize most of the leading aspirants and at the end of the painstaking exercise, we found the presence of all the needed attributes in one APC gubernatorial aspirant and the man is Dr. Olusola Ayandele who has been confirmed to be far ahead of his rivals as far as Oyo 2019 is concerned.
“While we are making a case for merit consideration above any premodial sentiment, we feel obliged to guide the discerning stakeholders including decision makers at the party level and the electorate to dwell on his noble background, academic achievements, public/private sectors exploits, global exposure, moral and social responsibility record as well as philanthropic gesture, loyalty and programmes of action designed to uplift the people.
“One should also be mindful of the fact that the same Dr. Ayandele has always been accessible to all and sundry while he is the only one who has traversed the nooks and crannies of Oyo State in order to consult widely with relevant stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious leaders, party faithful and the entire masses in the last few weeks as against the practice of many aspirants who restrict themselves to the state capital.
“With no known Godfathers, sponsors and hired thugs, Dr. Ayandele has been able to sell his ambition across the state while an average resident in any of Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones can attest to the fact that he is indeed competent and ready to serve. Apparently, this must have allayed the fear of many people who wished for an ideal leader to succeed Sen. Ajimobi in office.” The statement concluded.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
The House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency Oyo State, Hon. Prince Akinmoyede Olafisoye Wasiu has initiated another skill acquisition and capacity-building training for no fewer than 300 members of his constituency.
The initiative which is being organized in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan is part of a strategic effort by the lawmaker to foster rural development of cooperative for their economic emancipation and break the shackles of poverty so as to alleviate the impact of the high cost of living among the people in Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency he represents.
The training programme is coming up on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Faith Joe Event Centre hall. Alegongo, Ibadan by 8.00am.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the lawmaker, Alimi Abdullahi stated that the capacity-building is designed to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial skills with a view to building sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of lives of the people of Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency.
All the participants for the training are expected to be at the venue by 8am so as not to miss any part of the training.
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