By Sunday Oguntuyi, Osogbo
No fewer than 85 artisan groups have declared their support for the re-election of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
The groups made their position known during a strategic town hall meeting organised by the Forum of Ede Youth Development Association (FEYDA) and chaired by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, in Ede on Monday.
The gathering, which drew artisans, community leaders and political stakeholders from Ede North and Ede South Local Government Areas, served as a platform for participants to reaffirm their confidence in Governor Adeleke’s administration and pledge support for his second-term bid.
Addressing the artisans, Akinleye urged them to remain united and fully committed to ensuring Adeleke’s victory at the polls, describing the governor’s developmental achievements and people-oriented policies as deserving of another term in office.
He commended the groups for their continued support and loyalty to the administration, noting that artisans remain critical stakeholders in the economic growth and development of Osun State.
According to him, artisans constitute the backbone of the grassroots economy through their contributions to job creation, wealth generation and community development.
“Artisans are not just workers; you are builders of families, communities and the economy. Your support for Governor Ademola Adeleke and his administration is highly appreciated. We encourage you to remain united and continue to support a government that has demonstrated commitment to the welfare and development of the people,” Akinleye said.
The Chief of Staff highlighted some of the achievements of the Adeleke administration, including infrastructure development, youth empowerment programmes and initiatives aimed at improving the standard of living of residents across the state.
He said the governor’s commitment to inclusive governance and balanced development across sectors justified calls for continuity.
Akinleye urged artisans and other residents to support Adeleke’s re-election bid, stressing that another term would enable the administration to consolidate on its achievements and deliver more dividends of democracy.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke has shown that governance is about the people. His policies and projects have touched lives across Osun State, and we believe this journey of development should continue. We are calling on all artisans to stand together and support his re-election on August 15,” he added.
He also encouraged artisan associations to strengthen their cooperative structures, noting that greater unity would improve their access to government empowerment schemes, financial assistance, training opportunities and other intervention programmes.
Responding on behalf of the groups, representatives of the artisans pledged their readiness to support the governor’s re-election and mobilise their members to vote for him in the forthcoming poll.
The meeting, facilitated by FEYDA under the leadership of its National President, Comrade Afolabi Waliu Abiola, was described by participants as a significant grassroots engagement aimed at deepening collaboration between the government and the people.
Stakeholders at the event observed that artisans, who constitute a major segment of the state’s workforce and economic structure, could play a decisive role in the outcome of the governorship election.
The event concluded with a renewed pledge by the artisan groups to support Governor Adeleke’s administration and his second-term ambition, with participants emphasising unity, continuity and people-centred leadership as essential to sustaining development in Osun State.