LIVE UPDATES: Aregbesola Holds Last “OgbeniTillDayBreak”

Governor Rauf Aregbesola is currently holding his last interactive session with the people of the State of Osun in an event tagged #OgbeniTillDayBreak.

The event holding at the WOCDIF Centre in Osogbo.

Present at the event are the Governor-Elect, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, Deputy Governor-Elect, Benedict Gboyega Alabi, Chairman, APC in the State of Osun, Prince Gboyega Famodun and other top government functionaries.

Also in attendance are members of the Media who are expected to ask questions from the Governor for his giant strides in the last eight years.

Osun Defender will be bringing updates from the epoch making event:

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa applauded the Governor’s ingenuity in fast-tracking the development of the State of Osun in the last 8 years, one which has paid off in institutionalizing good governance, entrench peace and put the state on a pedestal of all round growth and development in the state.

The Commissioner also lauded the outgoing governor for his unprecedented achievements.

The Governor has responded to a few questions, some which quotes will come here;

I must acknowledge the Deputy Governor for doing the job of a helper well. Deputy Governors are not well acknowledged.

Hand-Over: In normal practice, the Governor must have left the Government House a week earlier before a New Governor. I would leave the Government House in Osogbo on Monday 19th November, 2018. But, I’ll not leave Osogbo.

Corruption is not our problem in Nigeria, but Laziness to be productive but the lackadaisical attitude of our people to earn free money.

Respect for Rule of Law and Its impact in Osun:- When we came into govt, I mandated all party members to respect the rule of Law and not to Revenge. We have kept our people disciplined and high sense of obedience to the rule of Lawe have won all of our elections and that has made us much more.

Infrastructure: I want to tell the whole world that the Gbongan-Akoda road which we call the Omoluabi Motor way is still under construction. We cannot say a road that is under construction is collapsing.

Our roads that we have constructed and commissioned roads that will last 50 years. We have constructed minimum of 3kms of roads in Osun State. Our roads will last because of their construction process and last.

The major road works outside Osogbo are even more than that in it. There are areas we could have done much more because of the paucity of funds. I have no regrets over whatever I have done. It would be an understatement that we marginalized the west Senatorial District in any of our projects. Whatever we are not been able to do, our successor will do it.

Politics: In Osun East Senatorial District, our party had the highest return of votes in the district in the last elections. I want to rest.

We do not commission inanities. I only said you can’t use commissioning to raise the performance.

Achievement: My greatest achievement is Social Investment or Human Development. No matter your investment in your infrastructure, it cannot be through our efforts on Infrastructure alone, but concerted steps to rebrand the state. Today, every citizen of our state calls himself/herself an Omoluabi which is one of our greatest joy.

We have targeted the Most Youngest part of our population. The school Feeding Programme we have invested heavily in is one of the most productive. We began here a Youth Empowerment Programme which is a major life changing programme. Most of us do not notice the few things we have achieved, Osun was never part of the Nigerian economy in the serious sense of it.

Osun is the state with the lowest unemployment figure/index in Nigeria, is not because of road, it is because of the Human Investment. Osun has the Highest Happiness Index, how best can you define a government that has done than a government that has done all these.

Here are Pictures so far from the on-going event:

Oyetola is a calm, cool and collected individual. Very brilliant, goal getting, objective and almost irrepressible. He is not a radical like me, he does not have my swagger but he is a goal getter. Whatever achievement we have made, Oyetola is a Silent Achiever, he is not mercurial but he is effective.

SDP/APC Accord: Osun APC Party Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun speaks: I will like to say that the two parties are talking to each other for the development of the state. At every level of the party, the collaboration of the two parties were done by the National Headquarters and we are talking at the state level and we are consummating our agreement very soon.

Salary: I do not collect my salary. I have not collected any salary but the state feeds me, fuels my car, provides accommodation, car, I don’t even need money. The few money I have from friends. I have no account anywhere in the world. I have no house in Osun, I only have my house

Omisore: I feel neutral and indifferent. If my party feels they want Omisore, I have no problem with it. I am very neutral.

LG Autonomy: I will not want to join issues with Obasanjo. Nigeria is a federation, the country was founded on Federalism and so many of us are committed to that principle of nationhood. The federalism of Nigeria is so sacred. A federation is based on two tiers; the central govt and the units; region/states. The issue of LG Autonomy is a no-go area. There is no Federal system of government all over the world that operates with three-tiers.

Oyetola Speaks: The Governor-Elect Takes The Podium To Address Issues

Ogbeni remains my leader. He is a man that gave me the opportunity of being the Chief of Staff and there was no time we had issues. He supported me in every way to become the Governor-Elect. It was rumoured sometimes last year that the Deputy Governor had resigned and slapped her.

What I feel is that we should be praying for all of us in government. He has been putting me through governance. Anybody that wants to succeed cannot do it alone without Ogbeni. The rumour is dead on arrival.

I want to assure everyone that we will continue where we stopped in the Aregbesola administration. We will work assiduously to complete these roads and do new ones. We are praying that we get enough funds to ensure the completion of the multi-various development strides we wish to continue after the end of the Aregbesola regime.

Ogbeni:

We are indeed happy that the people are happy with what we have done. I am glad that our successor knows where we have stopped. He will continue to perform. Our people should not nurse any fear. We did 20 roads totalling 21.6 km in Iwo; which no government has surpassed, 14 township roads in Ede 21.4 km, Ejigbo township 14.3km, Ikire 4.3km, Gbongan 4.3 km. Iwo Federal Const 59.35 km, Irewole/Isokan 6.4 km excluding Local Government roads which was done with 7 km average in each kilometer. No man can do it all.

State Expenses:

Total Receipts/Statutory Allocation from FAAC and IGR: N67,414,830,483.60 for 2011 while Salary, Pensions, Gratuities is N25,320,351,903.26 representing 41% of the amount generated.

2012: Revenue dropped to 59,799,111,395.0 while Salries took 30.04bn representing 51%

2013: N53.6bn with percentage 55%

2014: N46.2bn, 26.2bn representing 57%

2015: N31.7bn, Salary is N28.7bn representing 91%

2016: N22.1bn, Salary took N17.6bn representing 80%

2017: N24.1bn, Salary N23bn represenitng 98%

2018 (Jan-Sep) N23.6bn, N26.04bnn gone for Salary representing above 161% of what we earn.

The figures were as stated by the Accountant General of the State excluding Overhead and Recurrent Expenditure.

Our commitments are far higher than what we generate in the Internally Generated Revenue IGR of state.

This is why we must make it imperative for our people to pay Tax. All adults must all find legitimate means to earn a reputable living.

We are doing our possible best to ensure that we get more resources to be able to pilot the affairs of the State of Osun.

Conclusion:

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr Semiu Okanlawon concludes the event with a Vote of Thanks.