…As 52 Ijebu Monarchs Endorse Abiodun For 2nd Term
No fewer that 52 traditional rulers in the Ijebu Traditional Council, on Thursday, publicly endorsed the incumbent governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for a second term of four years in office.
The traditional rulers, who converged on the Awujale’s Palace, in Ijebu Ode, unequivocally and unanimously threw their weight behind the governor’s re-election bid, citing his sterling performance since his assumption of office in 2019 as the reason behind their action.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, in a statement, said that the traditional rulers conveyed their endorsement in a communique read by the Secretary of the Council, Obiri of Ayepe-Ijebu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rosiji Ogunbanjo, at the end of their monthly meeting, presided over by the President of the council, the paramount ruler and Awujale of Ijebuland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Sikirulai Kayode Adetona.
Expressing his ride in the giant strides of Governor Abiodun, the Awujale advised those eyeing the office of the governor of Ogun State to wait till 2027.
Oba Adetona said, “Dapo Abiodun is simply the best for now. We do not intend to change him.”
The royal father thereafter enthusiastically prayed for Prince Abiodun.
Reading the communique, Oba Ogunbanjo said that after reviewing happenings in Ijebuland and Ogun State, under the leadership of Governor Abiodun, the council unanimously endorsed him to continue in office beyond 2023.
Specifically, the monarchs commended Prince Abiodun for signing into law, the Obas and Chiefs Laws of Ogun State 2021, which according to them has positively reformed the installation and burial rights of traditional rulers in Ogun State.
The custodians of tradition and culture noted that the governor has demonstrated inclusive governance, which has brought down drastically, the political heat in the state; even as they lauded him for equitably carrying out projects in the various divisions of the state.
Among the projects mentioned by the traditional rulers were: the ljebu-Ode-Epe dual carriage way; the Agro-Cargo Airport, located in Iperu-Remo; the reconstruction of Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway; the Kobape Housing Estate; the Ray Power road; llaro-Owode road; Imasayi – Ayetoro road, among other infrastructural projects carried by the Abiodun-led administration.
They said, “The Ijebu Traditional Council noted the governor’s pledge on the development of the deep seaport in Ogun Waterside Local Government, and we encourage him to see to the actualization of the project.
“The governor has attracted an unprecedented inflow of direct foreign investments, DFI, to the state and thus making the state the preferred investment destination.
“The governor has increased the internally generated revenue, IGR, of the state to a record level, which has made the state number three in Nigeria, according to BudgIT Report 2021.
“The governor and his officials continue to accord regard and reverence to traditional rulers and traditional institutions in Ogun State.
“Taking the sterling performance of the governor and his team into cognisance, members deliberated further on the future of the state. Consequently, the ljebu Traditional Council, ITC, unanimously endorsed the second term bid of Governor Dapo Abiodun as governor of Ogun State, for him to continue his good, people-oriented developmental projects and services in the state beyond 2023.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Dagburewe of Idowa, His Royal Majesty, Oba Yunusa Adekoya, declared that another four years of Abiodun’s leadership will turn Ogun to an utopia.
In his response, Governor Abiodun thanked the monarchs for their support and the declaration of their endorsement for his contuinuty in office.
Speaking at the event, Abiodun, who extolled the virtue of Oba Adetona, said that the monarch is a father to him, recalling some of the good things he had benefitted personally from the traditional ruler.
Highlighting some of the developmental and infrastructural projects executed by his administration in Ijebuland and the state in general, Abiodun said that the Agro Cargo Airport alone had attracted multi-billion naira projects to the state.
He added that the airport project that he inherited from his predecessor, had earned the state a cheque of N3.5 billion from the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for 100 hectares of land.
Additionally, the governor said that one of the partners of the state, had paid $400 million dollars to invest in the cargo airport area.
The number one citizen of Ogun State revealed that for all of these investments, the state only contributed land.
Appreciating the epopel of Ogun State for their support Governor Abiodun pledged not to rest on his oars, as he continues in 2023.
