By Sunday Oguntuyi, Osogbo
In a rare display of political maturity, Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, directed the three senators of the Peoples Democratic Party from the state to support former Governor Gboyega Oyetola during his Senatorial screening.
Making the disclosure on the floor of the Senate was the Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Lere Oyewumi, while endorsing the ministerial nominee on behalf of other senators from the state.
Senator Oyewumi told the Senators that at a meeting Thursday night in Abuja, Governor Adeleke directed the senators to rally round Mr Oyetola in the overall interest of Osun State.
Senator Oyewumi said Governor Adeleke sees Oyetola’s nomination as an opportunity to expand prospects and opportunities for development of Osun State.
” We endorse Mr Oyetola’s nomination in line with our Governor’s directive. We wish Mr Oyetola well. We look forward to working together for the good people of Osun state,” he said.
Earlier, another PDP Senator, Francis Fadahunsi had read an endorsement speech for Oyetola.
The Senate President who was impressed by the position of Osun PDP senators commended Governor Adeleke and the Senators, describing what just happened as “a demonstration of strong political maturity that should be emulated by all”
Oyetola Screened by Senate
Meanwhile, Oyetola, on Friday, appeared before the Senate in continuation of the screening of ministerial nominees by the national legislative body.
Oyetola who was given the privilege to introduce himself revealed to the senators how he turned around the Osun economy at the time when N2.5 billion was being deducted at source from the Federal Allocation accruable to the State to settle the State’s indebtedness.
He said that despite the huge monthly deductions, the government under his leadership never owed workers’ salaries and pensions; and that he also provided other basic amenities like 332 Primary Health Centres, one per ward; and built roads and other infrastructure.
“I am the immediate past Governor of Osun State, where we served for four impactful years. We came in at a time when the state was almost insolvent. But God helped us to pull through and we were able to stabilise the economy of the state,” he said.
“Mr. President, Sir, Distinguished Senators, long before today, without any additional intervention from the Federal Government, we introduced the monthly Food Support Scheme for 30, 000 vulnerable persons in Osun. We ran the programme until we left the office.
“We ran an inclusive and participatory model of governance. We embarked on an ambitious revitalisation agenda in the health sector as we are on record to have been the first in the Nigeria’s history to embark on the revitalisation of 332 Primary Healthcare Centres, one per ward, across the State at a go.
“Under our leadership in Osun, we won several awards for rare display of capacity to manage a State like Osun for onward of four years without borrowing, yet delivering the dividends of democracy. We constructed over 500km of roads, including roads that had been abandoned for close 30 years or more. We also reformed our mining sector, thereby setting a strong foundation for the diversification of the Osun economy,” Oyetola added.
