ADEWUMI ADEMIJU x-rays the Abiodun Oyebanji administration’s development in line with its six-point agenda aimed at economic prosperity and good governance in Ekiti State
Having emerged winner of the June 18, 2022, Ekiti gubernatorial election, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji took oath of office on October 16 last year. Oyebanji who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the contest with 187,057 votes. He defeated his two closest challengers, Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who polled 82,211 votes and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), who polled 67,457.Oyebanji was then sworn in by the state Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye.
In his victory speech, with full appreciation to the Almighty God for the possibility, Oyebanji attributed his emergence as “a new day” for the people of the state. He added that his victory signals the “collective voice of Ekiti.” His predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who led the other APC governors, under the Ekiti Governorship Campaign Council to present a copy of the election results to Oyebanji in his home town, Ikogosi, stated that the APC was able to achieve victory in the election, not because of the hard work of the party, but because it had a sellable candidate.
“We were able to do that because we have a sellable product in Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji. This is a candidate that is very well known to Ekiti people; someone who started demonstrating commitment to the Ekiti project in his twenties; someone who acted as secretary of the committee for the creation of Ekiti way back in the nineties. “He has served in many government capacities as commissioner, chief of staff and other positions in both my administrations and that of the first elected governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.
You can see that the trajectory has been very clear, has been on the upswing and has been very focused on making Ekiti better. “The result of the governorship election is significant, it is a statement about the quality of our candidate and a statement about the confidence reposed in us for having served them meritoriously in the last four years,” Fayemi stated.
Shortly after he was sworn in, Oyebanji stressed the commitment of his administration to Ekiti development with focus on a six-point agenda for economic prosperity and good governance to the people of the state. He stated that the six- point developmental agenda would focus on youth development and job creation. Others are human capital development, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure, industrialization, arts, culture and tourism as well as good governance.
The governor said the six- point agenda was carefully selected based on his experience in the public and private sectors alongside the clamor of the masses for advancement of the state. He declared that his vision is to make Ekiti a land of prosperity, opportunity, peace, progress and a land which transformed people and for communities to reap the fruits of their labour in dignity, good health and safety.
His words: “We have identified some of the drivers, markets and industries that create these opportunities within the system and intend to nurture them and give them the enabling structures and support required to deliver the jobs we need.” The governor also promised accessibility to free and qualitative basic education for all eligible students up to the Senior Secondary School (SS3), “with curricula that adequately prepare them for further learning or the job market, accelerating the development of key infrastructure that is critical to our economic development will have a vast impact on our progress.”
He added: “Power and transportation are two key priority sectors that will improve our competitiveness and generate positive economic and social impact, we are committed to collaborating with stakeholders to ensure that we boost these underdeveloped core sectors. We intend to ensure robust dialogue and uncensored expression and consultations across the length and breadth of the state, thereby ensuring the interest and participation of all in the welfare of Ekiti Kete.
“We assure the people that we will hear you and truly see you. Our outlook is a government of the people for the people and by the people through active involvement. On this platform, I hereby pledge my accessibility to you all.”
Grassroots engagement
In an attempt to be able to adequately interface with the people of the state as stated in the focus of his administration, Oyebanji created the office of community communication for regular interactions with and feedback from the residents. The Director General, office of Community Communications, Mrs. Mary OsoOmotosho, said Ekiti is having such office for the first time to rejig and deepen the connection between the people and the government. “What informed the creation of this office is the feedback we got from the last administration.
I served as a special adviser to the governor on media in the last administration, so the community engagement and activities we had that time gave us some feedback and comments from the people. We tried as much as possible to reach out to virtually all the communities in Ekiti state then, we were able to engage the people effectively.
“Through our ‘SETIGBO’ grassroots programme, we gathered a lot of feedback from there which informed the establishment of this office with the focus to further build on the foundation we have laid regarding grassroots engagement of the last administration and also to do more in terms of grassroots communication, to do more in terms of engagement with the ordinary people of Ekiti state and to most importantly, connect the government with the people and then sustain that connection.”
To this effect, governor Oyebanji stated that his priority in community development informed his restraint in quickly forming a cabinet as he took time to ensure that people in the grassroots were involved in the formation of the State Executive Council as earlier promised. Oyebanji at the opening session for a three-day retreat for his commissioners, special advisers, permanent secretaries, general managers and executive secretaries, which was held in August at the Adetiloye Hall, Trade Fair Complex in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, tasked the appointees on creative ability, innovative capability and impressive performance.
Putting appointees to task
Noting that demonstration of such would determine their continued stay in office, the governor added that the commissioners and special advisers must justify their presence in the government through excellent discharge of duties in their respective MDAs. The governor also urged the political appointees and accounting officers on the need to work together to achieve the aspiration of taking Ekiti to the next level of prosperity.
According to the governor, the theme of the retreat: “Shared Prosperity: From Promise to Reality” was very timely considering the focus of the government in working towards achieving the state’s developmental plan. He also used the occasion to call on all heads of MDAs to key into the development agenda of the administration through the realization of its six pillars as well as charged the appointees on decency, moderation and high sense of responsibility. “Let me add that after this retreat, you will be requested as you settle down to submit your work plan and to commit yourselves to a performance bond.
Your ability on the job, creative ingenuity, innovative capability and impressive result will be the major determinant of your continued membership of the State Executive Council, you will always be called upon to submit yourself from time to time for performance evaluation. “I therefore urge you to hit the ground running, unleash your creative energy and approach every task with every sense of urgency.
As you all know, we campaigned on a six-point agenda, which has now crystalized to the six pillars of our administration, for us to have clear ideas of our development objectives, strategies, performance and performance evaluation,” he said. Oyebanji, who enjoined the commissioners and other appointees to consider their appointment as a call to service and not an avenue for self- aggrandizement averred: “Let me throw this challenge to you as we go ahead in this journey:
What can you do to make this administration outstanding; what gaps can you fill to make a difference and what fresh ideas can you bring to the table for the realization of our collective goals? This will make us have collective ideas on our vision and objectives, create ideas and strategies and generate the necessary capabilities to realize them.” He urged the appointees to connect to the grassroots and pay attention to their political environment and not become a “political moonlighter who is rarely seen at home.”
Commitment
The governor specifically emphasized the commitment of his administration to workers and elders’ welfare cum patronage of local content to grow the state’s economy and ensure excellent service delivery for acceleration of development in the grassroots. As Oyebanji clocked one year in office on October 16, he assured Ekiti people of a better future, “having successfully laid down a solid foundation for the socio-economic prosperity of the state.” He added that he is incurably committed to fulfilling the social contract he signed with the people of the state and that he will deliver democracy dividends to them.
According to him, the welfare and wellbeing of the people would be prioritized even ad he declared that his commitment to participatory democracy, inclusive governance and accountable leadership is intact. The governor, in a “state of the state address” which was delivered at the state House of Assembly to mark the first-year anniversary, highlighted his determination to meet with Ekiti people every 100 days to give account of government activities and seek their opinions.
“The periodic feedback has given us the opportunity to let them know where we are and where we are going. In the last one year, we have diligently worked to consolidate the achievements of the past administration and chart new pathways for the development of our beloved state. I am grateful to the Assembly for your timely consideration of our request at all times,” he said.
On perception about buying the opposition over, the governor, while addressing journalists in his office at a media parley to commemorate the first anniversary, said: “With respect to buying of opposition, it is not correct. What we have done is to ensure that we are running an inclusive government and we are communicating with the opposition. “Election stopped the day I was sworn in as governor of Ekiti State.
I don’t see myself as governor of APC, I am the governor of everybody in Ekiti State and I relate with all of them as Ekiti indigenes. So, politics have stopped, we are in the realm of governance and governance tells me that I have to be responsible to both my party members and people who did not even vote for me,” Oyebanji stated.
