Agboola Ajayi is a former deputy governor of Ondo State and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 16 governorship election. He speaks on why he’s within the race and his imaginative and prescient for the state.
Causes for becoming a member of guber race
The first goal of governance is the protection and welfare of the individuals. Any political social gathering that deviates from this avowed precept of governance will certainly get it fallacious and turn into a legal responsibility on the individuals.
The All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in Ondo State has, over the previous eight years, foisted mal-administration and poverty on the individuals of the state by purpose of the incompetence, lack of foresight, corruption and lack of outlined coverage for good governance.
The Nationwide Chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje, whereas receiving the management of the Kano State Correspondents Chapel of the Nationwide Union of Journalists (NUJ) on August 29, confirmed the truth that Ondo State was bedeviled with issues below the administration of erstwhile Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
He stated: ‘For Ondo State, it’s already an APC state and when the previous governor (Rotimi Akeredolu) died, he left a variety of issues.’
The issues left behind have now been exacerbated by his then deputy, now the substantive governor, Fortunate Ayedatiwa, who lacks foresight, information, coordination, coherence and who’s grossly incompetent in managing the affairs of the state.
Ayedatiwa has obtained greater than N99.8 billion since he assumed the management of Ondo State about 9 months in the past, but he’s unable to coordinate the execution of a single challenge for which the state has obtained this humongous quantity.
This has been the development of the APC-led administration in Ondo State. It’s my candid place that Ondo State can not afford to proceed an inch additional on this highway to perdition.
The November 16 governorship election within the state due to this fact requires severe consideration as it will decide, form or mar the fortune of the state within the subsequent 4 years.
I used to be in Edo State and witnessed how a easy train of election was turned to imposition by the powers that be. I noticed how these mandated to provide Nigerians free and honest election manipulated the system.
Those that are constitutionally empowered to guard Nigerians and be certain that the correct issues are completed, at each given time, disillusioned the voters.
I noticed how collation of leads to some areas was forcefully taken to the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) workplace in Benin clearly to be doctored, tinkered with and manipulated.
I noticed how an APC chieftain was taken into police helicopter, monitoring and making certain that the rigging plan was perfected. I noticed how some ‘revered public workplace holders’ have been seen singing and praising God after the political heist. How shameless can some individuals be? God can’t be mocked!
Rigging’ll be resisted
Let me sound this observe of warning that the shenanigans carried out in Edo State by the APC shouldn’t be repeated in Ondo State. Ondo State individuals from North to Central and South senatorial districts won’t ever permit this sort of electoral theft. The APC-led authorities mustn’t take Ondo State individuals without any consideration.
Our individuals will resist any risk, manipulation, official collusion and conspiracy that may foist the maladministration of Fortunate Ayedatiwa on them.
I’m fast to remind those that are planning to commit electoral fraud in Ondo State to assume twice. They need to return to our latest historical past and be taught from what occurred in 1983. Our individuals have put the unhappy occasions behind them; the APC-led administration ought to permit the sleeping canine to lie. A phrase is sufficient for the smart.
Imaginative and prescient
I’ve fastidiously and in firm of my crew thought out seven areas the place I’ll intervene to curb these myriads of avoidable issues foisted on the Sunshine State within the final eight years.
My imaginative and prescient is to remodel Ondo State right into a beacon of sustainable financial improvement, the place fashionable infrastructure, environment friendly transportation, vibrant marine and blue financial system, striving agriculture, strong industrialization, high quality schooling, inexpensive well being care, complete human improvement, enough safety, and different elements of elementary aims and direct ideas of state coverage as captured within the 1999 Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) will likely be strictly adhered to and totally applied for the prosperity of our individuals.
It’s due to this fact, my mission to harness the state human and materials assets to actualise this imaginative and prescient and thereby rescue and redeem the individuals of the Sunshine State from the shackles of poverty, oppression, deprivation and insecurity and set them on the trail of sustainable improvement in order that the solar will shine once more within the State.
The PDP administration below my watch will put in place, pragmatic and result-oriented programmes to rescue our state from the eclipse it has undergone within the final agonizing eight years below the APC authorities.
Thus, the sevenpoint agenda of my administration, particularly, safety, agriculture, schooling, well being, infrastructure, Business and Marine Financial Growth, rural improvement and atmosphere, and youth, sport, social, ladies improvement and civil service, will likely be geared in the direction of addressing the challenges within the state.
My administration will improve the capability of legislation enforcement companies notably AMOTEKUN, Forest Guards, Vigilantes and Conventional Hunters by means of advance coaching and provision of applicable tools and required legislations.
We’ll incorporate and interact conventional rulers, spiritual leaders and different stakeholders in implementing group policing and neighborhood look ahead to the protection of our individuals. We’ll make investments closely in expertise by deploying fashionable surveillance and clever gathering applied sciences to successfully monitor hotspots and weak areas equivalent to forest reserves and farmlands with a view to stopping and responding to crime appropriately.
The above are along with the common safety structure functioning within the State. On agriculture, which stays the principle keep of the state’s financial system, our coverage on this sector will likely be anchored on selling self-sufficiency in meals manufacturing in order to fulfill the United Nation Meals Safety mandate.
We will do that by offering coaching and assist for farmers to undertake fashionable farming strategies; provision of incentives to buyers to determine agro-processing trade in order so as to add worth to agricultural merchandise, cut back post-harvest loses, create jobs for the youth and thereby develop the financial system of the state.
We will maintain agricultural practices for very long time productiveness by making certain the supply of fertilizers and agricultural enter at sponsored price.
Provision of tractors for farmers at sponsored price will likely be inspired. We may also set up procurement company that may present prepared marketplace for all our agricultural produce which is able to in flip encourage our farmers to supply past their subsistence stage.
My administration will encourage buyers to take part in giant scale farming, animal husbandry, poultry and aqua-culture by offering land and creating enabling atmosphere.
We’ll guarantee high quality schooling for financial improvement, social fairness, technological development and cultural preservation for sustainable improvement.
To attain a fascinating workforce appropriate for a knowledge-driven financial system, the inputs from the first and secondary faculties should be effectively ready.
The standard of enter from the tertiary establishment will decide the amount of their enter. We’ll be certain that high quality major and secondary faculties are constructed and effectively renovated with the availability for Info Expertise. Recruitment of high quality lecturers and buy of academic supplies will likely be our precedence. Tertiary schooling will likely be effectively funded by means of improve in budgetary allocation.
We’ll encourage improve in Internally Generated Income (IGR) by means of sellable analysis entrepreneurship. Inexpensive tuition charges within the establishments will likely be negotiated with the stakeholders.
On the well being, the scenario in Ondo State within the final eight years is certainly worrisome as there’s geometrical decline within the well being sector of the state.
We will tackle this ugly development by offering, no less than, one major well being centre in every of the 203 wards within the state which will likely be staffed with educated and devoted medical personnel. Provision of important medication, hospital consumables and laboratory companies to sufferers at inexpensive value in all public medical services throughout the state will likely be our precedence.
Mom and Youngster hospitals will likely be established in Ondo South and Ondo North senatorial districts throughout the three years of our administration to enrich the present one on the Central Senatorial District.
The November 16 governorship election… requires severe consideration as it will decide, form or mar the fortunes of the state within the subsequent 4 years
Infrastructure
The massive infrastructural deficit and poor industrial output within the state is a name for concern. We’ll take note of rehabilitation of roads, building of waterways, provision of rural and concrete electrification, enhancement and enchancment in clear and pipe borne water supply for the advantage of our individuals.
We’ll be certain that the roads that want dualization within the three senatorial districts are vigorously pursued. We’ll be certain that the moribund corporations in Ondo State are resuscitated and the place that is not possible, we are going to encourage the institution of recent ones.
All these will likely be pursued with the singular objective of making large employment alternatives for the individuals of the state. Ondo South Senatorial District is the bedrock of the marine blue financial system for the state.
My administration will activate and actualise the potentials therein. Ondo State has the longest shoreline of about 80 kilometres in Nigeria.
My administration will utilise the enormity of the potentials obtainable on this sector. Our nearness to Lagos State will likely be an added benefit on this respect. The tendency on the a part of authorities in growing international locations which pushes improvement solely within the city space on the detriment of the agricultural areas will likely be adequately addressed by my administration.
We will apply the next to curtail this. There will likely be enchancment of rural highway community. We may also embark on rural housing scheme.
My authorities will enhance tourism improvement within the state. The top workplace of OSOPADEC will likely be relocated to the headquarters, Igbokoda, in Ilaje Native Authorities Space.
My administration will grant full autonomy to native authorities areas each in finance and governance. Authorities will tackle the grievances of communities arising from the creation of Native Council Growth Areas (LCDAs). The method of election into the native authorities areas will start inside three months of my administration.
The brand new PDP administration within the state will prioritise programmes that may make sure the accelerated improvement of youths and girls.
Our administration will pursue sports activities improvement, not only for leisure, bodily health and a unifying issue, but additionally as a veritable supply of empowerment for teens and younger adults throughout the state and offshore.
Below our watch, nice consideration will likely be accorded to social improvement initiatives to the benefit of youths, ladies, the aged and weak individuals within the state, simply as authorities will be certain that civil servants and retirees within the state are honoured with one of the best of therapy consistent with commonplace of worldwide practices.
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