The Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, has enjoined sons and daughters of Yewaland to support the re-election bid of the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The monarch stated this when he received Governor Abiodun and his campaign train at his palace in Ilaro, at the weekend.
Oba Olugbenle sise that the March 11 poll should not be about voting for the son of the soil, but about voting for the continued prosperity of the state under the leadership of the incumbent governor.
Noting that the forthcoming election would not be only about politics, but about what can be seen on ground, the monarch however, urged the people of Yewaland to totally reject the candidacy of someone whose support is coming from a former governor, who during his eight-year tenure did not finish projects he started across Yewaland.
He said, “It is not a matter of politics, it is about what is on the ground, for eight years before you came, I can’t point to anything that your predecessor started and completed, yet, he is saying we should vote for someone. Except if we want to lie to ourselves, that type of person cannot come out and tell us what to do.
“We can’t afford to give the governorship to another party, it is not this time when we have the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the federal level, that all our National Assembly members are also from the APC, that someone will be saying it is another party. It is clear to us, it is not about someone being our kinsman o, let us think about it, don’t vote for kinsman, even our ancestors are not in support, vote for continuity through Abiodun.
“The election on Saturday should surprise them, we are doing politics of development, it is not about us, it is about development. Let Dapo Abiodun do his second term, let us support him.”
Calling on the senator and members of the House of Representatives elected from Ogun West to come together and help look at the issue of Idogo rail line, Oba Olugbenle disclosed that the rail line, if completed would help boost the socio-economic development of the people of Yewaland.
He enthused, “You will have to work together, our senator and members, House of Representatives elected from Ogun West, Idogo rail line from Ifo has been taken away again, what is our sin? Your Excellency, help us to ask them what we have done again in Abuja.
“It is part of the national network of rail lines, why was it abandoned? Are we not part of Nigeria again? That rail line is viable to link some African countries.”
In his remarks, Governor Abiodun noted that he would continue to be just, fair and equitable, adding that his promise not to develop any part of the state at the expense of others would still be respected.
Informing that the Ilaro-Owode road would soon be completed by his administration, Abiodun added that his administration, through its transport master plan is poised to ensure that all parts of the state are connected by adequate road network.
He disclosed that the monarch and the people of Yewaland would soon see his administration commence work on the Idogo rail line, as well as other rail lines in the state, even as he informed Yewaland Traditional Council that the reconstruction of the Sagamu-Papalanto-Ilaro-Ogbele road has been approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
Abiodun further disclosed that the contract for the reconstruction of the road has been awarded, noting that the project, which is in partnership with the Ogun State Ggvernment, Aliko Dangote and the Federal Government, would be done using the tax credit scheme.
He said, “You will soon get our invitation to join us in doing the ground breaking ceremony of the Sagamu-Papalanto-Ilaro-Ogbele road, which has finally been approved by the Federal Executive Council.
“It is a partnership between the state government, Aliko Dangote and the Federal Government, using the tax credit scheme.
“By the grace of God, once we finish our elections, I will inform you so that we go there and perform the ceremony. That road is going to be a dual carriage way all the way from Sagamu to Ogbele and it’s going to be in reinforced concrete, that will be the first reinforced concrete dual carriage way in the state.
“That will mean that those travelling from Lagos-Ibadan coming to Ilaro will no longer need to come to Abeokuta anymore, they will just come straight all the way to Papalanto to Ilaro, connect to of cause the new Ilaro-Owode road, very soon the entire Yewaland is going to be wearing a new look.”
He added that more of such partnerships would be entered into for the overall development of the state, stressing that the sincerity of purpose and commitment shown by his administration would ensure the overall development of the state in partnership with the private sector.
He added, “Kabiyesi, one would wonder how this didn’t happen before, it is a question to answer. There were administrations here in the state, Kabiyesi, the answer to that is that we have shown a lot of commitment, we have demonstrated sincerity of purpose, we have earned the trust between us and the private sector, they now believe in us.
“Dangote is doing roads in Lagos, he is doing different things everywhere else, but as soon as I assumed office, I beckoned on him and requested that he partnered with us to do this road and he accepted, because he believed in this administration. And we have also been in partnership with so many other private institutions to construct roads, build hospitals, primary health care centers, donate ambulances and the list is endless.
“Kabiyesi, by the grace of God, we will continue to see this kind of partnership that will further strengthen and help us in building the future of this great state together.”
Calling on the people of Yewaland to vote him for a second term in office, Abiodun disclosed that the script being acted by the former governor, who did not complete any project started in Yewaland should be thrown away.
He asked, “How can someone be saying that he is the person that is going to determine who is going to be your governor from Ogun West? I mean, it doesn’t happen like that.
“This same character did the same thing in 2019, when he was in office and he failed woefully, because his intentions were not noble. Now you drop that person used in 2019 and picked someone else again and said this is the person he wants to use to be governor in 2023. Obviously he is still seeking to see how he can extend his tenure in office after finishing his eight years.
“I saw it somewhere that somebody was saying that this person that is coming will come and complete his outstanding projects and I laughed, because it is on record that I am probably the first governor that would complete all outstanding projects that are of economic importance to the people of Ogun State.”
