Few hours after taking oath of office, the new governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, has ordered the immediate reversal of the appellation of ‘State of Osun’ to the constitutionally recognised Osun State.
Besides, he also ordered the reversal of the official State’s appellation from ‘State of the Virtues’ to the original ‘State of the Living Spring’.
Speaking shortly after he was sworn-in as the 6th civilian governor of Osun State on Sunday at the Osogbo Township Stadium by Justice Adepele Ojo, Governor Adeleke also ordered the immediate freezing of all State government’s accounts in banks and other financial institutions.
He also announced the immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets just as he ordered an immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate-past administration of Gboyega Oyetola taken after July 17, 2022.
Adeleke, who promised to meet the expectations of workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders and indeed all residents of Osun State, vowed to boldly correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration which are against the collective interest of the people.
While pledging his commitment to be accessible, responsive, consultative and proactive in handling small and big matters of state governance, the new governor promised to demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and poor infrastructure.
Highlighting his party’s five-point agenda namely, welfare of workers and pensioners, boosting the state’s economy, home-grown infrastructure policy, people-focused policy on education, affordable healthcare, security and social welfare, Adeleke promised to release a detailed programme of action on each of the agenda very soon.
While promising to ensure local government autonomy in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, he pledged his determination to restore what he described as the lost glory of local government system in order to make them the third tier of government responsive to the needs of the people at the grassroots.
His words: “All policies that are not favourable to the growth of effective local government administration will be reviewed in accordance with the law.
“No form of illegality will be allowed to stand and all acts of impunity committed by the immediate past administration on local government administration will be reversed following due process.
“My administration will restore the integrity of the civil service which has been bastardised through favouritism and political considerations.
“We will give the civil service a better orientation with a view to restoring its professionalism. In doing this, we will be fair and firm as we act only in pursuance of public interest.
“Let me therefore announce an immediate return to status quo of all fresh appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by the immediate past administration with effect from the 17th of July, 2022.
“I wish to assure all labour unions in the state of our administration’s willingness to protect workers interest and promote their welfare at all times. We will be a labour friendly government.
“We will embark on a security sector reform that will target crime prevention, detection, neighbourhood policing and better synergy among security agencies.
“The Amotekun Corps will be strengthened while our administration will ensure operational linkage between local hunters and the Amotekun Corps. A “Know Your Neighbour” security initiative will be implemented. By the grace of God, very soon, Osun will return to its old nature of being a haven of peace.”
Dignitaries at the historic event included the presidential candidate of the PDP and his running mate, Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa respectively. Others present include rhe national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, former governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.
Also present were Governors Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, among others, while Governor Seyi Makinde of the neighbouring Oyo State was conspicuously absent.
Adeleke’s older brother and sibling, late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, was the first elected governor of Osun State in the aborted Third Republic between 1992 and 1993.
LEADERSHIP
