New chapter opened yesterday in Osun State, following the swearing in of Senator Ademola Adeleke as governor.
He promised to strengthen security and boost the welafrae of workers in the State of Living Springs.
Shortly after taking his oath of office, Adeleke dropped former Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s government slogan: “State of Osun” and “Land of Virtue”.
He also promised to review the appointment made by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, particularly those of permanent secretaries.
Oyetola, who is still protesting Ademola’s victory at the tribunal, said he left N14 billion in the state coffers, adding that he had also paid N97 billion inherited debt.
The governor who took oath at the Osogbo Township Stadium, Osogbo, capital of the state, issued an Executive Order freezing all operational bank accounts of the state till further notice.
At the ceremony, presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Atiku Abubarkar, and five governors of the party were present.
The dignitaries included Atiku’s running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Emmanuel Udom(Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi.
The PDP National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu, Atiku’s wife, Titi, former Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti) Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Senator Bukola Saraki and Tony Elumelu also witnessed the ceremony.
The G-5 governors led by Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) shunned the inauguration.
The new governor was accompanied by his two wives; Titi and Ngozi.
Adeleke reversed policies introduced by Aregbesola and vowed to review all appointments made by Oyetola since July 17th 2022 when he lost election.
He said: “Under my watch, I will correct past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by previous administration, which are against the collective interest of our people.”
The governor reiterated his commitment to his five point agenda, namely: welfare of workers and pensioners; boosting the state’s economy; home-grown infrastructure policy; people-focused policy on education; affordable health care, security and social welfare and agro-based industrialization for wealth and job creation.
Adeleke promised to launch reform, with direct focus on improvement of learning environment and outcome to reverse the poor performance of students in public examinations.
He also said promised to establish a standard diagnostic centre, using the Public Private Partnership model as he said he will reform local government.
Ademola said: “I ordered 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.”
On security, he said his administration will embark on reform that will target crime prevention, detection, neighbourhood policing and better synergy among security agencies.
He added: “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.”
On the Executives Orders, Adeleke said: “Since you elected me as your Governor on the 16th of July 2022, which the INEC announced on July 17th 2022, the former governor, Alh Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, maliciously started putting road blocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you.
“Mass employment were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.
“Appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few. All efforts to get the governor set up a Transition Committee and submit hand-over notes in line with best practices proved abortive.
“I hereby issue the following directives, which will be backed up with appropriate Executive Orders: Immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions; immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets; an immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate past administration taken after the 17th July, 2022; an immediate reversal to the constitutionally recognised name of our state, Osun State. All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect
