Saturday is decision day in Osun State. Eyes are on Bola Oyebamiji, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is perceived as the best bet for the State of the Living Spring.
Many stakeholders have described the former Finance Commissioner and ex- National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) chief as the man of the moment and arguably the best candidate for the job. Support is swelling for the financial expert, who has attracted more supporters to his side through his highly captivating seven-point development blueprint: ‘PROSPER.’
Recently, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the state endorsed his ca didature. Also, some members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have vowed to support him as an old compatriot who did the state proud as a politician, technocrat, and hardworking public officer who had served the state with patriotism, diligence and commitment to development and progress.
His targets are economic revival, transparent governance and inclusive development.
Other elements of the road map are poverty alleviation, job creation, social intervention programmes for vulnerable residents, prompt payment of salaries, improved welfare packages for civil servants, enterprise support, public works programmes, investment-driven initiatives, and economic empowerment schemes for youths and women.
Oyebamiji is competing for the Osun State Government House along with Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election and former House of Assembly Speaker Dr. Nageem Salam, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
To observers, Oyebamiji is never a failure on any task. He is still being remembered for his impact at NIWA.
Some of the structural reforms and strategic initiatives introduced to address the menace of boat accidents on the inland waterways are still yielding positive results. For instance, the Water Marshals Scheme remains operational, the community-based approach to safety campaigns is still very active, and workers’ welfare continues to receive the attention it deserves.
These, among many other initiatives, were put in place to reposition the agency, and your support was invaluable in making them successful.
According to analysts, his scorecard as a former Managing Director of the Osun Investment Company Limited, now known as Omoluabi Holdings Limited, and ex-commissioner makes him a credible alternative to the current administration in Osun State.
During the recent televised chat organised by the Arise Television fir candidates, Oyebamiji revealed an exceptional example of skill, knowledge, depth, experience and candour. He was full of calmness and balance as he spoke to data, marshalling his points in an accurate and meticulous manner.
Osun, to many observes, needs a good administrator, who can properly deploy human and material resources to fuel the cause of development.
The last allocation received by the APC administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) stood at approximately N2.6 billion. Today, the average monthly allocation to the state is about N16 billion without commensurate values to the state and her citizens.
APC had alleged that few of the infrastructure projects delivered by the current administration were awarded in secrecy to incompetent contractors while many of such projects have failed before commissioning. To arrest the current drift in the state, the party believes that the state needs a competent person in the saddle.
During the campaigns, the Prosperity Agenda gained widespread acceptance among the people of Osun. The campaign train ran into 30 local governments, with saying that he is seeking the mandate to enable him embark on a rescue mission.
The Prosperity Agenda is built on seven key pillars:
P – Poverty Alleviation, Workers’ Welfare, and Job Creation;
R – Responsive, Accountable, and Transparent Governance;
O – Opportunities for Economic Growth, Support Programmes for Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs), and Youth and Women Empowerment;
S – Security, Safety, and Social Protection;
P – Productive Agriculture Through Public-Private Partnerships and Rural Development;
E – Education, Skills Development, and Targeted Investment in Healthcare Delivery; and
R – Renewed Investment in Infrastructure to Drive Inclusive Growth, Culture, and Tourism.
Oyebamiji said in line with the campaign promises, within the first 100 days in office, his government would undertake a comprehensive review of all outstanding entitlements owed to active and retired workers and commence immediate payment.
‘We are equally committed to ensuring that the Dagbolu Dry Port becomes fully operational. In addition to these, through strategic partnerships, we will commence the training and empowerment of not fewer than 10,000 young people in information and communication technology,’ he added.
Oyebamiji also promised to institutionalise monthly meetings of the State Security Council involving security agencies, traditional rulers, and local government leaders. He said he would launch pilot off-grid renewable energy projects in selected public institutions and rural communities. ‘Similarly, we will conduct a comprehensive fiscal sustainability review covering state revenue, expenditure, and debt obligations. We will also undertake a state-wide infrastructure audit to identify priority economic roads and other critical infrastructure needs. ‘These, among others, are the initiatives that we consider essential within our first one hundred days in office,’ he stressed.
Oyebamiji complained he had been paying the price of popularity. He said he and his party have been victims of the persistent political violence in Osun State. He recalled that during the 2022 governorship election, twenty-five of his supporters were allegedly murdered by members of the political party in power.
He cited the example of his native Irewole Local Government, where the chairman, Remi Abass, was killed within the council secretariat. ‘Our party has also documented several other politically motivated attacks and killings, for which we continue to seek justice through the courts,’ he lamented.
Oyebamiji frowned at the pattern of violence, saying that it is induced by those in power in the state, an allegation that was denied by Accord and Governor Adeleke.
However, the trend of violence has persisted. Recently, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, visited Osun State and publicly raised allegations concerning individuals accused of criminal activities being housed within the Government House.
Oyebamiji raised the alarm over the reports on the arrest of a suspected criminal within the private residence of a top government official. He feared that some of his supporters were attacked in Ede, the hometown of Adeleke, to scare them.
Lamenting the violence, he said: ‘As an opposition party, these are some of the experiences of members of our party. Ironically, it is the Accord party and the government of Adeleke that would cry foul while our members bear the scars of political violence.
But he urged the people not to fear, saying that liberation is imminent.